Outcomes of the Competitiveness Council (research part) in November
On 26 November 2021, during the second day of Competitiveness Council dedicated to research, research ministers adopted a Recommendation on ‘A Pact for Research and Innovation in Europe' (Pact for R&I), as well as its conclusions on the future governance of the European Research Area.
The Pact for R&I defines common values and principles for research and innovation in Europe, such as freedom of scientific research and free circulation of researchers and knowledge. It also outlines 16 shared priority areas for joint action, ranging from fostering open science for faster sharing of knowledge and data, to reinforcing the scientific leadership and excellence of the European Union, with the involvement of all European regions and citizens.
At the same time, the conclusions of the Council include the first European Research Area Policy Agenda, setting out 20 voluntary actions for the next three years. Among these actions are promoting attractive and sustainable research careers, bringing science closer to citizens and improving EU-wide access to excellence.
The new governance for the European Research Area (ERA) will improve the current structure to allow for closer collaboration and coordination of policies across the EU and its Member States. This includes the development of the first ERA Policy Agenda with concrete actions for the next three years. The priority areas for action established in the Pact provide a stable framework for updates of the joint ERA policy agenda for the period after 2024.
Going forward, the future ERA Forum, a Commission expert group composed of the Commission and Member States' representatives, will be established at the beginning of 2022. In the context of the ERA Forum, the Member States and the Commission will co-design and coordinate the implementation of the ERA actions, prepare future updates of the ERA Policy Agenda, and ensure the involvement of Horizon Europe Associated Countries, relevant third countries and stakeholders. Moreover, the new ERA monitoring system, including a scoreboard, a dashboard and an online policy platform, will be created by mid-2022.