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European Research Area Platform

ERA Actions (2025-2027)

 

Note: In the milestones sections of the ERA Actions below those milestones that have been achieved are shown in "standard text", while those planned but not yet achieved are indicated in "italics".

Applying equity in open science

Making open science a reality calls for strong policy backing and substantial investments—especially in infrastructure, coordination, technology, and skills. It also means supporting researchers by providing relevant incentives,  and equitable access to open resources. However, the level of support varies greatly across countries and organisations, both in Europe and globally, highlighting the need for more equitable approaches within the European Research Area. 


Meetings (past/upcoming): 14 January 2026, 26 February 2026 (at ERA Forum)

Main planned outcomes

Implementation modalities

  • Stocktaking of equity challenges in open science across ERA countries.

  • Policy and funding support for high-quality, not-for-profit open access publishing services across the ERA.

  • Development and dissemination of shared tools, training methods, and services to boost open science skills.

  • Recommendations for developing an EU policy approach to equity in open science practices and infrastructures.

  • MLE on Equity in Open Science (commencing Q3 2026-Q4 2027).

  • Horizon Europe Work Programmes 2025 and 2026-2027: support of institutional non-profit open access publishing; transition of scholarly societies to non-profit open access publishing models; equity and inclusion in capacities for open science; quality, efficiency and equity in peer-review for scientific publishing.

  • Individual expert contract – Equity in Open Science (2026).

Milestones (implementation process)

2025

2026

2027

  • N/A

  • MLE implementation.

  • Individual expert contract report delivered (Q2 2026).

  • MLE implementation continued and final reports.

Advancing the European Science for Policy (S4P) ecosystem

Scientific knowledge and evidence are important tools for policymakers, helping them identify key challenges, assess different policy options, design effective solutions, and make well-informed decisions. Aiming at strengthening evidence-informed policymaking, this ERA action has three objectives: (1) improving the cross-cutting integration of knowledge in public policies, (2) strengthening the ‘Science for Policy’ ecosystem, and (3) promoting collaboration among S4P actors. 

Through a network of national science for policy coordinators and a community of practice, the ERA action pursues the following outcomes: 


Meetings (past/upcoming): 24 October 2025

Main planned outcomes

Implementation modalities

  • Regular dialogue between the network of S4P correspondents, the community of practice, and stakeholders to strengthen science–policy engagement.

  • Peer learning fostering skills, competences, and collaboration across governance levels and sectors.

  • Establishment of an observatory of the European S4P landscape to compile success factors and common challenges.

  • Creation of the Network of S4P correspondents (Q2 2026).

  • WIDERA Work Programme 2025 Call – “Strengthening of the European Science for Policy Ecosystem”.

Milestones (implementation process)

2025

2026

2027

  • First meeting of S4P National Contact Points (MS & AC).

  • Kickstart of the S4P Community of Practice.

 

  • Creation of a functional Network of S4P correspondents.

 

 

  • Establishment of an observatory of the European S4P landscape to compile success factors and common challenges.

  • Regular dialogue between the network of S4P correspondents, the community of practice, and stakeholders.

Facilitating and accelerating the responsible use of AI in science in the EU

Science increasingly relies on Artificial Intelligence (AI) to progress and innovate. AI is transforming the scientific landscape across every stage of research, assisting scientists, processing large-scale data, making predictions, automating tasks. 

The ERA action on AI in science will improve coordination and promote the exchange of information and knowledge among countries and stakeholders. It aims to align the approaches of the European Commission and EU Member States to ensure the responsible use of AI in science and research—supporting societal benefits and strengthening Europe’s leadership in science. It aims for the following outcomes: 


Meetings (past/upcoming): 7 October 2025, 4 November 2025 (AI in Science Summit), February 2026 (TBC)

Main planned outcomes

Implementation modalities

  • Annual updates and dissemination of the ERA Living Guidelines on the use of generative AI in research (2025–2027).

  • Joint roadmap on AI in Science (2025).

  • Agreed strategic funding agenda with Member States and European funders (2026).

  • Launch of joint projects where feasible (2026–2027).

  • Agreed plan for continued collaboration and policy development (2027).

  • Phase 1: Scoping (Q4 2025-2026).

  • Phase 2: Development (2026).

  • Phase 3: Implementation & Consolidation (2026-2027).

Milestones (implementation process)

2025

2026

2027

  • Joint roadmap on AI in Science adopted on 4 November 2025 (Copenhagen)

  • Review national and stakeholder strategies and funding instruments to build a shared understanding of the landscape.

  • Map ongoing initiatives, expertise and infrastructures and assess how they relate to the EU AI in Science Strategy, based on the MLE on AI in Science (2024-2025) and on the results from the AI in Science Summit held in November 2025.

  • Provide input for the structure of RAISE and to assure its added value for Europe.

  • Prepare a strategic funding agenda, jointly shaped with EU and national funders, including Horizon Europe.

  • Update and further develop the ERA living guidelines on generative AI, ensuring they reflect the latest advances.

  • Organise capacity-building and hands-on workshops, creating a community of practice around AI in science.

  • Develop the concept of digital humanism, ethics, responsible AI (including research integrity) and the impact of AI on science.

  • Identify and launch joint projects or co-funded actions that give RAISE a concrete output, including on inclusivity and equitable access, especially for early-career researchers, less-resourced institutions, or countries with limited existing AI capacity.

  • Promote regular updates of the ERA living guidelines on generative AI, embedding them as a trusted resource for the research community.

  • Co-develop a plan for ongoing collaboration and policy development (deliverable for 2027), securing a sustainable framework beyond the current roadmap.

 

 


 

Enhancing research security

International research cooperation faces increasing complexity in practice in an era with growing geopolitical tensions and competition, and an increasing dependence on knowledge and technology. Strong national research security approaches are necessary to safeguard Europe’s open way of cooperation. 

Since knowledge and collaboration in research and innovation flow across borders, research security cannot be addressed by national efforts alone. Coordinated action at both national and EU level is needed to share best practices and ensure a consistent approach. 

This ERA action will implement the framework of the Council Recommendation on research security with the following outcomes:


Meetings (past/upcoming): December 2025

Main planned outcomes

Implementation modalities

  • Development of a European cooperation space on research security through structured expert collaboration and the establishment of a European Centre of Expertise.

  • Biennial European Flagship Conferences on Research Security (2025, 2027).

  • Biennial Research Security Monitor mapping national and EU-level measures (2025, 2027).

  • Peer learning and capacity building for developing national approaches.

  • Guidance and tools for safeguards in research funding and due diligence (including a one-stop-shop platform on foreign interference).

  • Strengthened international cooperation on research security approaches and measures.

  • Meetings and workshops, involving three dedicated networks:

    • Member States: experts of all EU/EEA member states (29 countries represented).
    • Research Funders: contacts of all national research funding organisations (29 countries represented).
    • Stakeholders: contacts of EU-level R&I stakeholder associations (around 20 associations represented).

Milestones (implementation process)

2025

2026

2027
  • Regular in-person workshops and online meetings of the three dedicated research security networks based on annual ‘meeting calendar’.
  • 28-30 October 2025: first European Flagship Conference on Research Security with around 500 in-person participants in Brussels, co-organised by the Commission with 12 European stakeholder associations.
  • Regular in-person workshops and online meetings of the three dedicated research security networks based on annual ‘meeting calendar’.
  • Q1 2026: publication by the Commission of the first Research Security Monitor report.
  • Q2 2026: publication by the Commission of a procurement call supporting the European Centre of Expertise on Research Security, launch of the Centre including its online web presence (‘one-stop-shop’) foreseen before the end of the year.
  • Q4 2026: pilot developed by Commission of the online Due Diligence Platform.
  • Regular in-person workshops and online meetings of the three dedicated research security networks based on annual ‘meeting calendar’.
  • Q3/Q4 2027: Second European Flagship Conference on Research Security.
  • Q3/Q4 2027: publication by the Commission of the Second Research Security Monitor report.
  • Centre of Expertise: first phase deliverables (e.g. tools, guidance documents, …) to be made available over the course of the year.
  • Official launch by the Commission of the Due Diligence Platform.

Accelerating R&I investments for Europe’s industrial transformation and competitive sustainability

To boost private sector investment in research and innovation, a clear and structured approach that reflects industry needs and supports the practical use of research results in real-world industrial applications is needed. Therefore, this ERA action aims to develop and test a systematic tool box for assessing industrial needs for, among other things, industry engagement in research infrastructures, developing investment agendas and deployment of advanced, sustainable technologies. 

To accelerate an operational framework for effective transfer of research and innovation results into industrial applications, this action pursues the following outcomes: 


Meetings (past/upcoming): 10 October 2025, 27/28 November 2025, 24 March 2026

Main planned outcomes

Implementation modalities

 

  • Mapping of policy tools supporting industrial R&I.

  • Improved understanding of industrial R&I needs.

  • More targeted tools to mobilise R&I investments.

  • Contribute to the European Policy on Research and Technology Infrastructures.

  • Facilitate industrial technology roadmapping to decarbonise energy-intensive industries.

  • Contribute to the European monitoring platform for technologies and industrial demonstrators.

 

Pillar I: Decarbonising energy-intensive industries

  • Development and implementation of national industrial technology roadmaps, strategies, and programmes and establishment of synergies with the SET-Plan which will facilitate an R&I deployment agenda at the EU level for decarbonising energy-intensive industries.

  • Analysis, testing, and validation of results of a European monitoring platform for technologies and industrial transformation. With the support of the Joint Research Centre (JRC) and the European Innovation Centre for Industrial Transformation and Emissions (INCITE).

  • Facilitate the transfer of decarbonisation technologies to the market. It will entail identification of effective technology transfer channels, to less well performing regions/countries; building bridges to initiatives facilitating the uptake and deployment of low-carbon technologies at regional level.

Pillar II: Enhancing Utilisation of Technology Infrastructures in Europe

  • Facilitate access to RTI services for industrial users, SMEs, including startups and scaleups through development of a Charter of Access for industrial users.

  • Showcase examples of successful RTI services provided to industrial users and access and funding schemes open to industrial users. The repository will be available on the Knowledge Valorisation platform of the European Commission and will be continually open for submissions of new best practice examples at regional, national and EU levels.

  • Propose possible funding models for access to RTIs, promoting effective pooling of public and private funds and facilitate establishing a financially sustainable infrastructure ecosystem, fostering collaboration across sectors and enabling strategic investments. 

Pillar III: Advancing Circular Economy

  • Improve understanding about funding mechanisms.

  • Get knowledge about strategic policy coordination.

  • Learn about coordination and partnerships.

  • Implement policy monitoring and evaluation.

 

Milestones (implementation process)

2025

2026

2027

  • Transition factsheets on decarbonisation of energy-intensive industries (Q4 2025).

 

 

  • Coordination and Support Action (CSA) on industrial decarbonisation implementation (kick-off in Q1 2026).

  • Dataset of industrial demonstrators on energy-intensive industries (Q1-Q3 2026).

  • Charter of Access for industrial users to research and technology infrastructures (Q1-Q4 2026).

  • Repository of best practices for funding & access schemes (Q2-Q4 2026)

  • Launching of Mutual Learning Exercise on advancing circular economy (Q2 2026, tbc).

  • Final set of transition factsheets on decarbonisation of energy-intensive industries and case studies (Q3, 2026).

  • Review meetings of Horizon Europe projects (Q4 2026).

  • Horizon Europe WP (2026-2027) Pilot schemes for funding & access (Q4 2026).

  • Coordination and Support Action (CSA) to develop and test pilot multi-site access schemes for startups, scaleups and other innovative SMEs in priority areas (including but not limited to advanced materials, clean energy, or health and biotechnology (Q4 2026).

To be developed in a co-creative manner and announced by December 2026.

Accelerating new approach methodologies (NAMs) to advance biomedical research and testing of medicinal products and medical devices

New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) hold the potential to deliver human-relevant, accurate, reproducible and sustainable innovations in biomedical research, which may directly or indirectly reduce the reliance on animal testing. Although Member States are required by Directive 2010/63/EU to replace animal procedures in research, education and regulatory testing with valid alternative approaches when available, their acceptance and uptake has progressed slowly. 

To support the use of these alternative methods, this ERA action will bring together all relevant groups, including ministries, academia, regulatory agencies, and the pharmaceutical and medical technology industries, to align national and regional policies to speed up the development, validation, acceptance, and uptake of NAMs. The expected outcomes are:


Meetings (past/upcoming): 4 November 2025, 17 December 2025, 24 February 2026, 19 May 2026, 4 September 2026, 3-5 November 2026

Main planned outcomes

Implementation modalities

  • NAM development and infrastructure agenda identifying priority areas (Q4 2027).

  • Joint actions by Member States and stakeholders to support new NAMs and related infrastructures (Q1 2028).

  • NAM acceptance and uptake strategy defining criteria for regulatory use (Q3 2027).

  • Joint validation and qualification of NAMs for regulatory testing (Q4 2027-Q3 2028).

  • NAM education and training plan (Q1 2027) and joint training programmes (Q2 2027-Q2 2028).

  • Harmonised openness and awareness programme improving access to NAMs protocols and results, with guidance for ethics and regulatory bodies (Q2 2028).

  • Major awareness-raising conference for civil society and patients (Q3 2028).

  • Steering Team composed of the Commission, the Netherlands and EU-LIFE ensuring implementation of the Action.

  • General Assembly (GA) including all interested Member States, Associated Countries, ERA Forum stakeholders, and 2 co-leaders of each Working Group (WG). The GA meets four times per year, alternating in-person and online meetings. The GA will be responsible for: monitoring progress and providing strategic orientation; proposing experts for the WGs or specific ad hoc tasks; identifying synergies and proposing complementary activities to strengthen coordination and alignment in this field.

  • Four WGs consisting of experts and led by a steering committee and 2 co-leaders.

Milestones (implementation process)

2025

2026

2027

  • Online meeting of the General Assembly on 4/11/2025

  • In-person meeting of the GA on 17/12/2025

  • Establishment of the 4 Working Groups in February/March 2026 (with each WG having 35-70 members; kick-off meetings in March).

  • In-person meeting of the GA and the steering committees of each WG on 19 May.

  • Big workshop with all major actors of the action (including GA and Working Groups on 3-5 November 2026).

  • Coordination and Support Action (CSA) starting in January 2027 and overseeing the implementation of the action until December 2028/January 2029.

Developing a coherent and coordinated framework for a European approach to integrity and ethics in R&I in the face of emerging challenges

New challenges, such as the rapid digitalisation of scientific disciplines and the spread of AI, highlight the need for a concerted European approach to ensure that R&I follow the highest standards of ethics and integrity , from the conception/planning stages  to the communication and dissemination of results.  

Considering the Commission’s Recommendation on critical technology areas for the EU's economic security, this action aims to anticipate, prevent, tackle, and mitigate emerging research ethics, human rights and integrity challenges and to safeguard research integrity in critical technology areas. This ERA action aims for the following outcomes:


Meetings (past/upcoming): 26 February 2026

Main planned outcomes

Implementation modalities

  • Development of a coordination structure (European platform) connecting existing networks on ethics and integrity.

  • Detailed roadmap of actions and performance indicators.

  • Practical guidelines, operational toolboxes, and standard operating procedures.

  • Pilot joint training actions on research ethics and integrity.

  • Pilot Training;

  • Conferences;

  • Communication and dissemination activities;

  • Survey;

  • Mapping of existing initiatives and networks;

  • Identifying synergies with other ERA actions;

  • Collaboration with existing initiatives and networks.

 

Milestones (implementation process)

2025

2026

2027

  • Initiating a network.

  • Drafting annual action plan including timeline for mapping initiatives, identifying synergies with other ERA Actions and existing networks.

 

 

 

 

 

  • Establishment of the European Coordination Platform;

  • Defining aims, roles and governance;

  • Mapping relevant thematic initiatives and actions to establish the network;

  • Drafting the action plan including synergies with other ERA Actions and collaboration with existing networks (ENRIO, EUREC, Embassy of Good Science, etc.);

  • Drafting practical guidelines and toolboxes, including pilot joint training;

  • Stock taking dedicated to exchanges of good practice and identification of new approaches to ethics by design and research integrity;

  • Promoting of the network good practices and dissemination of the outcomes: meetings, conferences, social media;

  • Creating of annual evaluation report and adapting activities.

 

  • Implementation of the action plan;

  • Implementation of the practical guidelines and toolboxes, including pilot joint training;

  • Stock-taking of implementation of the activities and defining further steps;

  • Annual evaluation reports, feedback surveys, recommendations for improvement;

  • Promoting of the network good practices and dissemination of the outcomes: meetings, conferences, social media.

Empowering R&I: A new era in research management

As research becomes more demanding and the focus on creating societal impact increases, specialized support from research managers is essential. This initiative aims to strengthen the research management profession, which is still undervalued in the ERA, and offers support for its growth. It highlights the need for coordinated EU and national policies to create skilled professionals, improve career opportunities, enhance working conditions, promote gender equality, and provide training and mobility.

The following outcomes are pursued:


Meetings (past/upcoming): 1 October 2025, 12 October 2025, June 2026 (tbc)

Main planned outcomes

Implementation modalities

  • Flexible careers and competence framework for research managers (published).

  • Awareness campaign in Member States.

  • Centralised online hub, collecting educational material and upskilling tools.

  • Ad-hoc workshops, organised by the "sponsors" (Germany, Hungary, Aurora, EARMA and EU-Life).

Milestones (implementation process)

2025

2026

2027

  • New factsheet on Research Management.

  • Series of events at Member State and organizational level to spread awareness on existing EU-level tools.
  • Revision of RM Comp and publication of handbook for trainers.
  • Policy brief on research management (by NSPIRING ERA).
  • Centralised online hub, collecting educational material and upskilling tools.
  • Analysis of the role of research management in selected actions funded under the ‘Widening’ part of Horizon Europe.