The European Research Area (ERA) Act was adopted in January 2025 as part of the Commission’s Communication on a Competitiveness Compass for the EU, aiming to close the innovation gap with other global economic powers. The ERA Act is designed to strengthen the European R&I ecosystem and help the EU to become a globally attractive destination for researchers. It also provides an opportunity to advance the so-called “fifth freedom”, which refers to the free circulation of researchers, scientific knowledge and technology within the EU single market.

This Public Consultation seeks to gather feedback on the key challenges that the ERA Act wants to address, with the perspective of identifying potential EU-level legislative solutions to tackle them. In particular, the ERA Act focuses on reaching public and private investment goals, aligning R&I policies and programs between the EU and its Member States (and across the Member States themselves), upholding the fundamental values of the European Research Area, and improving the framework conditions for research and researchers. 

The consultation takes the form of a questionnaire, covering the main areas and issues that fall within the scope of the future legislation. It is open to all stakeholders involved or interested in R&I policy until 23 January 2026. The results will be summarised in a report on the Have your say portal.

Thematic areas examined during the Consultation:

1. Strengthening R&D Investment and achieving the 3% GDP target
2. Fostering the alignment of R&I investments, policies and programmes between the EU and Member States, and among Member States
3. Improving the general conditions for research and researchers in Europe, including upholding the fundamental values of the ERA, ensuring the free circulation of researchers and scientific knowledge, overcoming the fragmented guidance on AI in research, improving consistency in approaches to international cooperation and research security across the EU.

To access the public consultation click here!