26 Jan 2026
Coimbra group submits its contribution to the EC's public consultation on the ERA Act
The Coimbra Group (CG), an association of long-established European comprehensive, multidisciplinary universities, has submitted its contribution to the European Commission’s public consultation on the development of an European Research Area (ERA) Act.
Coimbra Group has long advocated for a fully implemented ERA as a genuine single market for research and innovation, fostering free movement of researchers, scientific knowledge, and innovation across the EU. It regards the ERA Act as representing a critical opportunity to consolidate existing legislation and key policy frameworks into a robust and coherent single text, addressing long-standing structural fragmentation, capitalising on past achievements, and strengthening Europe’s global attractiveness and competitiveness in research and innovation.
Based on the input received from its members, Coimbra Group highlights in particular the need for:
- The inclusion of a binding target of at least 3% of GDP for R&D investment, with a complementary target for public funding.
- Stronger and enforceable protection of academic freedom and institutional autonomy, including monitoring and remedy mechanisms.
- Minimum standards for researchers’ rights and careers, including portability of pensions and social benefits.
- Measures to reduce fragmentation in mobility frameworks, notably visa, residence and social security arrangements.
- Support for responsible research assessment (in line with CoARA) and a sustainable, equitable Open Science ecosystem.
- Clearer and more enabling frameworks for knowledge valorisation and cooperation with non-academic actors.
- Reduced administrative burden and more coherent EU-level approaches to research security and due diligence.
For more information:
Coimbra Group: Consolidating the European Research Area: for a stronger and more integrated ERA