Notes on Policy - Turning research into competitiveness: Time for a European Research Area Act
The debate on the future of the European Research Area (ERA) Act comes at a critical moment for Europe’s research ecosystem. In the recent public consultation, the MCAA, as part of the ERA Forum Stakeholder Group 4, set out its position.
The European research landscape is fragmented. Despite decades of collaboration, research funding, career opportunities, and mobility conditions still vary widely between Member States, slowing innovation and limiting Europe’s ability to compete globally. At the same time, science faces growing politicisation and post-truth narratives that increasingly threaten academic freedom.
The proposed European Research Area (ERA) Act offers a unique opportunity to tackle these challenges, strengthen Europe’s resilience and strategic autonomy, and position the continent as the world’s leading destination for researchers. In this context, engaging stakeholders is essential to ensure the ERA Act’s legitimacy, effectiveness, and long-term success.
Four stakeholders, one shared vision
Stakeholder engagement has always been central to the MCAA’s advocacy strategy. We have built coalitions, initiated key partnerships, and joined alliances and initiatives that advance science, research, and innovation in Europe.
As part of the ERA Forum Stakeholder Group 4, representing individual researchers and innovators of all career stages, we have pushed for an ambitious ERA Act. Together with the European Council of Doctoral Candidates and Junior Researchers (Eurodoc), the Association of ERC Grantees (AERG), and the Initiative for Science in Europe (ISE), we outlined our vision of a more coherent, attractive, and resilient ERA in a joint statement published on 26 January 2026(Association Of ERC Grantees (AERG) et al., 2026). This vision is based on sustainable investment, greater alignment of research and innovation (R&I) policies, and shared European values.
Investing more to promote European values
We do not want the European Union to deliver yet another framework. What Europe needs is a transformative, research-centred ERA Act. This requires sustained public investment in people, infrastructure, and knowledge to fully leverage Europe’s R&I capacity. One of our main priorities is to ensure that Europe reaches the long-standing target of investing 3% of its gross domestic product in research and development (R&D), around €220 billion, through stronger commitment from Member States.
At the same time, greater alignment of R&I policies, investments, and programmes across the EU and its Member States is needed to reduce fragmentation and improve efficiency. This is only possible through coherent framework conditions, governance, and interoperability based on shared European values, ensuring that national and European efforts reinforce each other rather than remain scattered.
These are necessary steps to improve the overall conditions for research and researchers in Europe. Freedom of scientific research is a fundamental value of the ERA and must be safeguarded. This is a prerequisite for innovation, democratic resilience, and public trust in science. Moreover, promoting gender equality, equal opportunities, and attractive and sustainable research careers, including fair mobility opportunities, will be essential to make Europe more appealing to talent from across the world.
Last but not least, we defend the free circulation and valorisation of scientific knowledge. Ensuring that research results can circulate freely, while being effectively translated into societal and economic benefits, will be key to turning scientific excellence into innovation and competitiveness for Europe.
Europe at a crossroads
Europe stands at a decisive moment. The ERA Act offers an opportunity to turn scientific excellence into a coherent, competitive, and values driven ecosystem. It can address existing gaps across EU Member States by aligning investments and policies, while safeguarding the freedoms and values that underpin research.
Seizing this momentum is essential to transform brain drain into brain gain, while attracting talent across Europe. This is the only way to ensure our common resilience and competitiveness, while strengthening our societal impact.
The MCAA will continue to engage with meaningful stakeholders to ensure that the ERA Act reflects the realities of the research community and delivers practical solutions. Our policy team is driven by this ambition and is committed to turning it into political action among decisionmakers. The coming months, with the negotiations on the next R&I Framework Programme (FP10) underway, will be crucial in shaping the future of the European research landscape. The MCAA is already at the helm. The choices made today will determine whether Europe cements its place as a global leader in research and innovation or falls behind. The time to act is now.
References
Association of ERC Grantees (AERG), Initiative for Science in Europe (ISE), European Council of Doctoral Candidates and Junior Researchers (Eurodoc), and Marie Curie Alumni Association (MCAA). (2026). Joint statement on the European Research Area Act. Ensuring a researcher-centred European Research Area. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18353673
