Getting closer to the ERA Policy Agenda 2025-2027

Getting closer to the ERA Policy Agenda 2025-2027

With the “fifth freedom” of research, innovation, knowledge and education high on the EU agenda thanks to the Letta report, a new chapter is coming for the European Research Area (ERA), which has aimed to create a single market for research, innovation and technology across the EU since 2000.

The ERA Policy Agenda 2022-2024 is slowly running its course and the new document for 2025-2027 outlining new actions to contribute to the Pact for R&I priority areas is coming into shape. ERRIN has been directly engaged in the discussions as a stakeholder in the ERA Forum.

On 26 November, ERRIN’s Policy Working Group organised a meeting on the next steps for the ERA and the new Policy Agenda. Joined by Anna Seip from DG RTD from European Commission, ERRIN members looked into what’s coming, including ERA Act and proposed new Policy Agenda actions, reflecting more closely on which ones ERRIN should commit to in the 2025-2027 period. The new ERA Policy Agenda is expected to be adopted in the second quarter of 2025.

A few days later, on 29 November, the Council conclusions on strengthening the competitiveness of the EU, reinforcing the European Research Area and overcoming its fragmentation were approved.

We are pleased to note that the document features recommendations raised by ERRIN in exchanges with the Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the EU and in ERRIN’s input to the call for evidence for ERA going forward in September this year, such as the need for better alignment of the Framework Programme with the ERA policy framework, as well as importance of consistency between ERA actions and other relevant policy initiatives such as the New European Innovation Agenda.

Some of the other ERRIN recommendations for ERA going forward include:

  • Introducing an effective multi-level governance framework within the ERA Forum by including the regional level in the discussions.
  • Putting stronger emphasis on the ecosystem approach and ensure it is enabled in practice.
  • Ensuring the engagement of various types of stakeholders in the ERA Forum discussions and in the implementation of individual actions under ERA Policy Agenda.
  • Using insights from the ERA Hubs pilot projects in the ERA Forum discussions, to examine the ways in which their developments and outcomes linked to R&I ecosystems could be integrated in the future ERA Policy Agenda.
  • Continuing the RIMA sub-group as a permanent, more strategic body in the future.

Last week’s Council conclusions are also important due to their focus on strengthening place-based R&I ecosystems as a cornerstone for European competitiveness and strategic autonomy. The document draws attention to the key value of quadruple helix collaboration at all territorial levels and highlights the need for R&I ecosystems to build on strategic areas of regional strength, raising smart specialisation strategies as one of possible lines to follow.

Find the full text of Council conclusions here and ERRIN's full input to the call for evidence for ERA going forward here.

ERRIN members may find presentations from the Policy WG meeting on ERA on 26 November here.