ERA ‘Tour des Capitales’ goes digital

Last 15 June the first round of digital ERA ‘Tour des Capitales’ concluded. The ERA ‘Tour des Capitales’ was launched at the European Commission’s initiative to work alongside Member States/Associated Countries and their research and innovation stakeholders in order to engage in a debate on a new direction for the European Research Area feeding into the upcoming communication on ERA.

Following the outbreak of COVID-19 and the related containment measures the Commission offered the possibility to hold digital ERA ‘Tour des Capitales’ by means of bilateral meetings with the national authorities and key stakeholders. DG Jean-Eric Paquet, DDG Signe Ratso and Director Anna Panagopoulou alternatively chaired the meeting with MS participation at the level of Minister/Deputy Minister or Director of the Research department. Bulgaria, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Ireland,  Malta, Norway, Romania, Spain and Switzerland engaged in these digital bilateral meetings with the Commission, adding to the two physical tours which had already taken place in Italy and Austria before the lockdown.

Discussions were rich in inputs and based on an open dialogue on the first orientations for the Communication. The European Commission and the Member State/Associated Country presented their expectations and commitments on the new ERA. Some key issues discussed during the meetings were the following:

• Governance of the ERA and strengthening the ownership of Member States
• The role of researchers in ERA
• How to strengthen research excellence
• Linking ERA with the European Higher Education Area (EHEA)
• Visibility of ERA and citizen engagement
• Balanced brain circulation

Other countries for which it was not possible to organise such meetings will be sending the results of their stakeholders’ surveys and their national positions in writing.

This news item was edited on 17 June 2020 to reflect new date and two new countries by adding new text.