The European Research Area as cornerstone of Europe’s integration and competitiveness

On 18 and 19 September, the European Commission, supported by INSPIRING ERA, organised a major conference in Brussels titled “European Research Area: Fostering greater integration. Advancing competitiveness”. The event brought together research and innovation practitioners and policy communities to discuss the past and future of the European Research Area (ERA) as a cornerstone of the EU’s competitiveness and societal wellbeing. Around three hundred on-site and four hundred online participants joined the conference sessions and discussions. 

In her keynote speech, Commissioner Iliana Ivanova, responsible for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, highlighted three areas where the ERA has delivered in terms of reinforcing excellence throughout Europe over the past four years: 

• Research careers: Commissioner Ivanova announced the agreement between the European Commission and the OECD to develop the Research and Innovation Careers Observatory (ReICO), aimed at gathering precise data to improve research careers in Europe.
• Research infrastructures: since 2009, 28 infrastructures of common interest have been established.
• Open Science: the European Data Space’s first operational platform, the EOSC EU Node, is set to launch, supporting research and the use of FAIR data (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable).

Despite significant progress, Commissioner Ivanova acknowledged ongoing challenges, including the limited progress toward achieving the target of investing 3% of GDP in research and development. She called for increased investment and stronger coordination among Member States to support Europe’s green transformation and secure its long-term competitiveness. Ivanova urged for more synergies across Europe to overcome the fragmented research landscape.

Enrico Letta, former Italian Prime Minister and author of the impactful report “Much more than a market”, published last April, outlined through a video message the relevance of the current moment to highlight the “5^th freedom” as pivotal in addressing current challenges in the EU and overcoming the innovation and competitiveness gap with global competitors. 

The concept of the 5^th freedom is central to the ERA, which over the past two decades, has becomeone of the EU’s most successful political initiatives. By promoting the free movement of researchers, scientific knowledge, and technology, the ERA has fostered cross-border cooperation and encouraged innovation across Europe. The 5^th freedom complements the other four freedoms operating in the European Single Market (free movement of goods, services, capital and people).

More information

ERA Policy Platform

News alert: The Commission and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development launch the Research and Innovation Careers Observatory