(fra forslaget til rådsrekommandasjon) 

The purpose of the European Research Area (ERA) is to create an area where ‘researchers, scientific knowledge and technology circulate freely’ (Article 179 TFEU). The ERA was relaunched in 2020, including the adoption of the Pact for Research and Innovation (R&I) 1 in Europe, articulating the following Member States’ joint priority areas for action:

(1)deepening a truly functioning internal market for knowledge;

(2)taking up together the green transition and digital transformation and other challenges with impact on society, and increasing society’s participation in the ERA;

(3)enhancing access to R&I excellence across the Union and enhancing interconnections between innovation ecosystems across the Union;

(4)advancing concerted R&I investments and reforms.

By setting up new governance structures and a first ERA Policy Agenda 2022-2024 with concrete actions, the EU injected fresh momentum into the ERA, aligning R&I strategies and policies. Notable progress has been made through collaboration with Member States, particularly in addressing the fragmentation of their R&I systems. Initiatives have focused on researcher careers, research infrastructures, open science, building trust in science through citizen engagement and mobilising resources for thematic R&I cooperation. The joint priority-setting process co-created between Member States, stakeholders and the Commission has fostered a sense of ownership and increased commitment to implement the ERA, particularly through the first ERA Policy Agenda.

Like the first ERA Policy Agenda 2022-2024, the second ERA Policy Agenda 2025-2027 outlines concrete ERA activities, serving as a strategic framework to foster collaboration among EU countries, to enhance the effectiveness of R&I systems, and to address societal challenges collectively. Drawing on the lessons learned from implementing the first agenda, the second strikes a balance between deepening action on current priorities through structural policies and broadening the vision for the ERA through new ERA actions. Structural policies are long-term ERA policies such as open science, research infrastructures and research careers, that are not confined to individual policy agendas and are embedded in national and European policy. ERA actions are concise, policy-driven and goal-oriented to provide substantive added value for the EU, Member States and stakeholders. Actions on artificial intelligence in science, research security, science for policy, equity in science were identified as gaps where cooperation was deemed necessary. Overall, this gives the next ERA Policy Agenda 2025-2027 a clearer policy-based focus and a clearer structure to facilitate implementation by national administrations and stakeholders.

The ERA Policy Agenda is a non-binding instrument to steer national and EU-level policies in line with ERA objectives set out in Article 179 of the TFEU. It coordinates Member States’ priorities in the work to advance the ERA based on joint action. It therefore encourages voluntary cooperation and coordination between Member States and the EU. Since it is voluntary, there is no legal enforcement of implementation. The ERA Policy Agenda implementation follows the logic of variable geometry. The ERA Forum, bringing together the European Commission, Member States, Horizon Europe associated countries and EU-level stakeholders, serves as the governance body to jointly coordinate implementation of the ERA activities.

While non-legislative initiatives such as the ERA Policy Agenda 2022-2024 containing voluntary commitments in the form of ERA actions have yielded significant progress, they remain insufficient to address structural barriers. The Commission Communication of 22 October 2024 on ERA implementation 2  highlighted persistent issues such as disparities in research, development and innovation (RDI) performance across Member States, insufficient levels of private and public investment in RDI below the 3% GDP target, fragmented regulatory frameworks, limited technology transfer support, and the fragmentation of research and technology infrastructures. As a conclusion, the Communication underscored the need for stronger governance.

To address the systemic challenges, future legislative initiatives will be complementary to the ERA Policy Agenda and could introduce legislative measures that go beyond voluntary action under the non-binding ERA Policy Agenda. Such initiatives (e.g. an ERA Act) will be an opportunity to tackle issues through harmonisation, uniform application of rules and enforcement of EU policies to create a level playing field across Member States. It could be applied to areas assessed as needing binding rules or structures in order to achieve the objectives of the ERA over and above voluntary coordination and cooperation measures. This should substantially reduce the fragmentation of R&I policies and systems within the EU.