Open Letter to the President of the European Commission: On the Inclusion of National Academies in Horizon Europe and the Situation of the Academy of Sciences of Moldova

Open Letter to the President of the European Commission: On the Inclusion of National Academies in Horizon Europe and the Situation of the Academy of Sciences of Moldova

To:
Dr. Ursula von der Leyen
President of the European Commission
Rue de la Loi / Wetstraat 200, 1049 Brussels, Belgium
July 7, 2025

Subject: Urgent Call for Enhanced Inclusion of National Academies in Horizon Europe, with Specific Support for the Academy of Sciences of Moldova

Dear President von der Leyen,

The British agencies global and legal news News247WorldPress, JusticeNews247, write to advocate for the systematic inclusion of national academies of sciences in Horizon Europe initiatives. We further highlight the critical challenges facing the Academy of Sciences of Moldova (ASM) and urge immediate action to integrate it into European research frameworks. This is not merely a matter of scientific cooperation but a strategic imperative for the European Research Area (ERA).

The Strategic Role of National Academies in Horizon Europe

National academies are unparalleled repositories of interdisciplinary expertise and custodians of scientific integrity.

Their inclusion in Horizon Europe aligns with the program’s core objectives:

Evidence-Based Policymaking: The Science Advice for Policy by European Academies (SAPEA) consortium demonstrates how academies provide “independent, timely, and interdisciplinary scientific evidence” to inform EU policies 3. SAPEA’s work—linking academia, policy, and society—exemplifies the “innovative governance” Horizon Europe seeks to advance.

Capacity Building: Academies foster early-career researchers, promote gender equality, and bridge geographical disparities in research capabilities. The proposed pan-European academic network for food systems (HORIZON-CL6-2023-GOVERNANCE-01-4) underscores this, aiming to “federate universities, academies, and research centres” to strengthen the ERA.

Crisis Response: As seen in Eurodoc’s efforts supporting Ukrainian researchers during the war, academies are vital in sustaining scientific resilience amid geopolitical upheavals.

Despite this, national academies—particularly from Associated Countries—remain underutilized. We propose:

Mandatory consortium roles for national academies in Horizon Europe’s “multi-actor” projects

Dedicated funding streams for academy-led interdisciplinary networks, modeled after SAPEA’s success

The Academy of Sciences of Moldova: A Case Study in Untapped Potential

The ASM, established in 1961, previously coordinated research across several scientific departments and employed up to 11,000 researchers. Nowadays, it faces existential threats.

Financial Precariousness: ASM’s state funding is tied to volatile national budgets, crippling long-term multidisciplinary research. Salaries for scientists are “insufficient to make ends meet,” echoing the plight of Ukrainian researchers.

Infrastructural Decay: Laboratories lack modern equipment, and digital resources are inadequate for FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) data standards.

Geopolitical Isolation: The lack of funds for the realization of multidisciplinary projects of national importance and realization of inter-academic exchange (which over last decades has been very efficient) excludes ASM from critical funding, despite its mandate to lead the “integration into the European research area”

Immediate Actions for the European Commission

We urge the following concrete measures:

Launch an ASM Stabilization Fund for the realization of multidisciplinary projects of national importance in key areas and support of inter-academic exchange through:

Horizon Europe’s “Widening Participation” actions.

The “Ukraine Facility” model, which explicitly supports research in conflict-affected regions.

Integrate ASM into Pan-European Networks: Include ASM in the upcoming “interdisciplinary academic network for food system science” (HORIZON-CL6-2023- GOVERNANCE-01-4). This would bolster its expertise in agricultural resilience—a critical need for Moldova’s economy.

A Vision for Inclusive Science

The erosion of Moldovan science risks severing a vital node in Europe’s knowledge network. As the SAPEA consortium affirms, academies are “building blocks of improved governance”.

Supporting ASM aligns with the EU’s obligation under Article 21 of the Treaty on European Union to advance human rights and global solidarity—values acutely threatened in our neighborhood.

We stand ready to collaborate on these measures and request an urgent dialogue with your office.

This letter is delivered electronically

Kind Regards

Robert Williams

Editor in Chief

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