Germany

After an audit report found ‘numerous violations’ of financial controls at one of Europe’s top research institutions, the government has told it to shake up its governance

Mirroring a change in sentiment across the EU, Germany’s ‘future strategy’ demands more reciprocity from Beijing on access to research data. A separate China strategy, currently debated in government, could also shift German policy

After the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Chancellor Olaf Scholz declared a ‘Zeitenwende’, shifting Germany policy towards a new, wary realism. Research policy has only begun to catch up, says Ruppert Stüwe, German Social Democratic Party MP

After some teething problems, the plans for the new agency are taking shape, with the formal launch expected early next year

More than 70 research institutions have an explicit ban on defence-related projects, and there are few signs that the Ukraine invasion will convince them to shift course   

Collaborations that involve technology transfer are being singled out. But Germany will ‘continue to honour all its obligations’ when it comes to big science facilities with Russian involvement

Germany has said it will cut all links. Now the UK, Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands are mulling whether to follow suit. But Belgian rectors have called for ties to remain