ESFRI Position Paper on the European Research Area Act (ERA Act)

The European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI) was established to support a strategy-led approach to policy making on Research Infrastructures (RIs) in Europe, in alignment with broader policy goals, and to facilitate multilateral initiatives leading to the better use and development of research infrastructures, at EU and international level.

Since its establishment, ESFRI has witnessed the critical role of the integrated ecosystem formed by Research, Technology, and Digital Infrastructures in fostering excellent science, attracting talent, driving innovation, and enhancing Europe’s competitiveness. As highlighted in Commissioner Zaharieva’s Mission Letter, securing this role requires a long-term strategy to advance European Research and Technology Infrastructures, with the ultimate goal of creating a truly pan-European ecosystem of infrastructures and services.

As part of this strategic vision, ESFRI welcomes the forthcoming European Research Area (ERA) Act, which aims to guarantee a “fifth freedom” within the EU Single Market—ensuring the free movement of researchers, scientific knowledge, and technology. 

The input presented here sets out ESFRI’s perspectives on key elements of the upcoming ERA Act that can address these challenges and enable the realization of the fifth freedom for Europe’s research and innovation ecosystem.  

In this context, our contribution aims to highlight and put forward solutions to several barriers that remain within the research infrastructure landscape, linked to the main blocks of policy measures that could be included in the ERA Act.