Public consultation on the European Research Area Act concludes with strong stakeholder participation

The European Commission closed the public consultation on the European Research Area (ERA) Act on 23 January 2026.

The consultation attracted considerable interest across Europe and the rest of the world. A total of 735 contributionsand117 position papers were submitted, with responses from the 27 EU Member States, 8 countries associated with Horizon Europe and 15 non-EU countries. Participation was particularly high amongacademic and research institutions (45%), followed by EU citizens (24%).

Ekaterina Zaharieva, European Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation, said:

“Europe cannot afford a fragmented or border-bound research system. Our goal is to give researchers and innovators the freedom and conditions they need to succeed anywhere in Europe. The strong response to this consultation shows clear support for this direction and will directly determine the next steps for this initiative.”

The ERA Law 

The European Research Area (ERA) Act addresses long-standing challenges in the EU’s research and innovation (R&I) ecosystem, such as fragmented regulatory frameworks, uneven investment in R&D and barriers to knowledge sharing. It builds on the successes of the renewed ERA since 2021, in particular the progress made through theERA Policy Agendas.

Key aspects of the ERA Law proposal include:

• national commitments to increase investment in research and development, with the aim of reaching 3% of GDP
• better coordination of research and innovation policies and investmentsbetween the EU and Member States
• better conditions for researchers, including better career paths, mobility between countries and sectors, and support for open science
• strong protection of fundamental values such as scientific freedom, research ethics and integrity, gender equality and equal opportunities

Consultation on the ERA Law 

A first glance at the contributions shows strong support for the ERA Law and sends a clear message from stakeholders:

• The EU should do more to help national research systems work better together and reduce barriers between countries.
• Public investment in research and innovation should be clearer, more predictable and backed by concrete national commitments.
• Researchers need stronger and more consistent protection of their freedom to conduct scientific work across the EU.
• It should be easier for researchers to move and work across borders, including through easier recognition of academic qualifications obtained in another EU country.

Next steps 

The Commission will now conduct a thorough analysis of the contributions received, which will serve as the basis for the next steps in the preparation of the ERA Law, ahead of the presentation of the Commission’s proposal scheduled for the third quarter of 2026.

Background

The European Research Area (ERA) is a vision of a single, borderless market for research, innovation and technology across the EU. It improves the coordination of EU research efforts, boosting the circulation of researchers and knowledge, creating critical mass and promoting excellence. 

Although the ERA has been developing since 2000, the European Commission gave new impetus to this ambition in 2020. This initiative led to a new ERA governance framework, defined by the Pact for Research and Innovation (R&I) in Europe and the ERA Policy Agenda.

However, obstacles remain to the full implementation of the ‘fifth freedom’ and the achievement of an integrated and competitive Research and Innovation ecosystem in the EU. The ERA Law will address these remaining challenges to the full implementation of the ERA and support the free movement of researchers, scientific knowledge and technology in the EU single market.

The results of the consultation are available on theHave Your Say portal.

More information: European Commission.