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European Research Area Platform

ERA Actions (2025-2027)

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. 

This ERA action aims for the following expected outcomes: 

  • stocktaking of equity challenges in open science across ERA countries (reflecting existing diversity in terms of frameworks, capacities, funding etc.);
  • policy and funding support to operate high-quality not-for-profit open access scholarly publishing services across the ERA;
  • development and dissemination of shared tools, training methods and services to boost capacity in terms of open science skills; in collaboration with stakeholders;
  • recommendations for developing an EU policy approach to equity in open science in its different practices.
     
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: 

  • regular dialogue between the network, the community of practice, and other interested stakeholders to explore how to create the necessary conditions to enable effective engagement between research and policy;
  • peer learning is fostered, strengthening skills and competences and enabling collaboration on S4P across different sectors and levels of governance;
  • an observatory of the European S4P landscape and its practices is created, compiling success factors and common challenges of operating at the science-policy interface.
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: 

  • update, promote and disseminate the ERA living guidelines on the use of generative AI in research (at least yearly in 2025, 2026, 2027);
  • a joint roadmap on AI in science (2025);
  • an agreed strategic funding agenda with Member States and possibly also with European funders (2026);
  • joint projects if considered feasible/useful by participants (2026-2027);
  • an agreed plan for ongoing collaboration and policy development (2027). 
     
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:

  • work towards a European cooperation space on research security by structural cooperation among Member State experts, research funders and EU-level research and innovation stakeholder organisations as well as explore and assess options for more structural support in this respect, such as through a European centre of expertise on research security, taking into account existing structures and linking it to the one-stop-shop platform;
  • convene policymakers, experts and practitioners around the theme of research security in a biennial European Flagship Conference on Research Security (2025, 2027);
  • map, monitor and analyse national and EU level research security measures and initiatives, including through a biennial Research Security Monitor (2025, 2027);
  • support information sharing, peer learning and capacity building, notably for the development of national approaches to research security;
  • develop guidance and tools for safeguards in national and EU level research funding programmes as well as for risk management and due diligence processes in research performing organisations (i.e: One-stop-shop platform on tackling foreign interference in R&I);
  • closer cooperation with international partners on research security approaches and measures.
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: 

  • mapping of the policy tools supporting industrial R&I;
  • contribution to the European policy on Research and Technology Infrastructures including actions leading to demand-driven use of such infrastructures by industry, in particular SMEs, start-ups and scale-ups;
  • building and exchanging knowledge and expertise in national industrial technology roadmapping to decarbonise energy-intensive industries;
  • contributing to a European monitoring platform for technologies and industrial demonstrators (European Innovation Centre for Industrial Transformation and Emissions - INCITE).
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:

  • NAM development and infrastructure agenda identifying where NAMs are most needed and expected to have the highest short- to medium-term impact (Q4 2027);
  • Member States and stakeholders identify actions they could jointly support to develop new NAMs and related infrastructures (Q1 2028);
  • NAM acceptance and uptake strategy which identifies criteria for using NAMs (Q3 2027);
  • Member States and stakeholders jointly supporting the validation and qualification of a limited set of NAMs designed to be accepted and implemented in regulatory testing of medicinal products and medical devices (Q4 2027-Q3 2028);
  • NAM education and training plan (Q1 2027) and joint education and training programmes (Q2 2027- Q2 2028);
  • harmonised NAM openness and awareness programme that improves open access to NAMs protocols and results of animal experiments. The programme will provide guidance for ethical committee members, reviewers, and regulators, based on best practices in participating Member States. It proposes concrete actions to increase the confidence of regulators in NAMs including a better understanding of the potential and limitations of NAMs (Q2 2028);
  • at least one major conference to raise awareness of civil society and patients on biomedical research, drug discovery and development process (Q3 2028).
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:

  • development of a coordination structure (in the form of a European platform) that will bring together the existing European networks on research ethics and integrity;
  • a detailed roadmap of actions and performance indicators;
  • practical guidelines, operational toolboxes, and standard operating procedures;
  • an approach to joint training actions approach on a pilot basis.
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:

  • launching in 2025 and implementing an overarching and flexile careers and competence framework for research managers; implementing an evidence-based awareness campaign in Member States, the results of which will be published in 2026;
  • co-creating in 2026 a European Charter for research managers, creating a triangle approach of research performing organisations, research funding organisations, and European industry, ensuring recognition across sectors; designing approaches for capacity building; and analysing the role of research management in selected actions funded under the “widening” part to the Horizon Europe to monitor the impact on the overall efficiency and effectiveness of the R&I system;
  • launching in 2027 a centralised online hub, preferably under the upcoming ERA Talent Platform, that collates current and new curricula, educational materials, alongside upskilling tools for research managers, and access to vital training and certification programmes for both current and aspiring professionals.