Science Diplomacy in 2026: Why the EU’s New Framework Matters for Chemical Safety

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Abstract The European Union Framework for Science Diplomacy marks a significant shift from viewing research and innovation as a form of soft power to framing them as strategic assets for European resilience, competitiveness, and sovereignty. This commentary, authored by Fellows of the Young Academy of Europe (FYAE), outlines how this governance framework is reshaping international chemical collaboration, emphasizing the urgent need for updated research security practices, the emergence of the role of Security-Safety Liaison as a practical bridge between laboratory safety, regulatory compliance, and security-sensitive research governance, and the importance of harmonized safety standards to protect European interests in an era of intensified geostrategic competition. We highlight the importance of the Security-Safety Liaison in embodying the shift from safety as a primarily internal risk management function to safety as part of a wider architecture of strategic resilience, technological sovereignty, and responsible research and innovation.