ERAC discusses consequences of changes in US science and research policy

On 16 April 2025, ERAC, the European Research Area Committee, met for an extraordinary online meeting on 'Making Europe a magnet for research talent: Better conditions and fewer barriers'. Prior to the meeting and upon an initiative of French Minister Phillippe Baptiste, Ministers of 13 EU Member States had signed a letter to Commissioner Zaharieva proposing concerted action to strengthen academic freedom and to induce an 'attractivity boom' for the EU to attract researchers from third countries. It was then decided to have an exchange of views on Director-General’s level and therefore convene a short ERAC meeting.

The main take-aways of the meeting are as follows:

• Academic freedom, Security and Openness should be central selling points of the EU and the European Research Area.
• The EU needs to communicate better its strengths and offerings to researchers worldwide, specifically taking into account the needs of young researchers.
• A discussion is needed on how to deal with current co-operations with the US regarding research databases and research infrastructures.
• The national measures in Member States are largely convergent. They include promoting already existing programmes and improving legal framework conditions to enable fast and unbureaucratic measures, also from research and HE institutions. Some Member States are installing new programmes. Finland, for example, is investing an additional € 50 million.
• EURAXESS, MSCA und ERC Grants are mentioned as important existing instruments to be used at EU level.
• The European Commission proposes a coordinated "Team Europe“ approach as applied in collaboration activities with developing countries.
• The ERA Act, which is currently being developed, should deliver legislation to advance the ERA in the discussed fields, such as academic freedom and research careers.

A follow-up of the discussion in ERAC is envisaged at the Competitiveness Council meeting on 23 May 2025 in Brussels.