What is ERA?
The European Research Area (ERA) is the ambition to create a single, borderless market for research, innovation and technology across the EU.
By strongly aligning their research policies and programmes, European countries become more effective on the research sector. The ERA is based on excellence and
- prioritises investments and reforms in research and innovation
- boosts market uptake
- strengthens mobility of researchers and free flow of knowledge and technology
- improves access to excellence
The ERA policy framework is based on
- the ERA governance, including the ERA Forum, ERAC and the Council;
- the Pact for Research and Innovation in Europe;
- an ERA Policy Agenda with concrete actions.
ERA in the regions
Regions and cities will be supported in promoting science and research locally through the Knowledge Exchange Platform, relaunched as KEP 2.0.
Recommendations to EU countries
To make the European Research Area stronger, national research and innovation policies need to be strengthened too.
Since 2010, the European Semester has been providing EU countries with recommendations, to coordinate and improve social and economic policies across the EU.
Research and innovation policy recommendations are embedded in this process.
It is a clear example of how cooperation and dialogue between the Commission and EU countries leads to better and more impactful policies.
ERA progress reports
ERA progress reports summarise the state of play of ERA and progress made on its implementation by EU and associated countries.
Documents
What is the European Research Area?
A single, borderless market for research, innovation and technology across the EU, where countries come together and improve their research policies and systems and where there is free movement of researchers, knowledge and innovation.
Latest
Today, the European Commission adopted its proposal for a Council Recommendation on the European Research Area Policy Agenda 2025-2027.
Today, the ERA Forum meeting between the Commission, Member States, Horizon Europe associated countries and stakeholders marked the finalisation of the first ERA Policy Agenda 2022-24.
