Abstract
Scientific freedom is a cornerstone of western civilisation. Indeed, since the age of enlightenment scholars have fought vigorously to defend this fundamental freedom. While defending academic freedom has never been easy, recent attacks on it confront academia with challenges of an unprecedented nature. The chapter analyses the protection of academic freedom on the EU level, i.e. Article 13 of the European Charter of Fundamental Rights (‘Freedom of the arts and sciences’). This Article, which became binding law only in 2009 with the entry into force of the Lisbon Reform Treaty, so far remained a legal terra incognita. The chapter therefore attempts to shed some light on this new provision and analyses whether effective remedies can be sought on a European level.