Science Europe Response to the Public Consultation on the ERA Act

Despite significant progress since the early 2000s, some challenges remain and still hinder the full realisation of the European Research Area (ERA) – that is, a single, borderless market for research and innovation that fosters excellent science across Europe. The ERA Act offers an opportunity to support and further develop a coherent, holistic framework for European research, building on the achievements of current ERA governance.

Science Europe has responded to the European Commission’s public consultation on the proposed European Research Area (ERA) Act, setting out the collective views of its Member Organisations on how the legislation can effectively strengthen framework conditions for research and innovation, while safeguarding academic freedom, institutional autonomy, and the diversity of national research systems.

The response recognises the ERA Act as an opportunity to strengthen the framework conditions for excellent research and innovation in Europe, while underlining the importance of building on existing achievements, without introducing requirements that are already addressed through existing frameworks. Science Europe emphasises that the proposed legislation should adopt a minimum standards approach, protect core values such as academic freedom, research excellence, and equality, diversity and inclusion, and legislate only where EU-level action can clearly add value.

The complete response addresses seven key thematic areas: strengthening investment in research and innovation to meet the 3% of GDP target; improving alignment and coordination of R&I policies and funding across the EU and Member States; enhancing the conditions for research and researchers, including the protection of fundamental values; ensuring the free circulation of researchers and scientific knowledge; aligning approaches to artificial intelligence in research; improving consistency in international collaboration and research security; and assessing the appropriate scope of ERA Act-level measures on research security.

Across these areas, Science Europe highlights the need for evidence-based policymaking, meaningful dialogue with the scientific community, and respect for institutional autonomy and academic self-governance. The response also stresses that progress in areas such as open science, research assessment reform, and research culture is already being achieved through bottom-up initiatives, which should be supported and reinforced rather than replaced by prescriptive legislation.