Plan to Make Science Work Better Across Borders

The European Parliament has adopted a resolution on the upcoming European Research Area (ERA) Act, which aims to strengthen research and innovation across the EU. The Act will:

• Create a single, integrated research area that lets scientists, knowledge and technology move freely across borders, boosting competitiveness and job creation.
• Address current problems such as fragmented systems, uneven performance among member states, and heavy administrative burdens for researchers and universities.
• Set a clear target of investing at least 3 % of EU GDP in research and development (R&D) by 2030, with national roadmaps to support this goal.
• Encourage private investment and public‑private partnerships to fill funding gaps and support technology sovereignty.
• Strengthen funding for European programmes like Horizon Europe and increase support for universities and public research organisations.
• Remove barriers to researcher mobility, simplify career paths, and promote mutual recognition of qualifications and easier visa procedures.
• Promote gender equality, equal opportunities, and a fair pay gap in research and innovation.
• Ensure open, secure, and ethical circulation of knowledge, including responsible use of emerging technologies such as AI.
• Align the ERA Act with other EU initiatives (Innovation Act, Pact for R&I, European Education Area) to create a coherent policy framework.
• Use clear planning, measurable metrics, monitoring, and reporting to track progress and balance basic and applied research.

The resolution calls on the Commission and member states to adopt the ERA Act as a regulation so it applies directly across the EU, and to support it with complementary measures that protect researchers’ rights and institutional autonomy. The Parliament instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission and the Council.