ERA Forum discusses ERA Policy Agenda 2025-2027

In a meeting hosted by the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science in The Hague, the ERA Forum had a full day discussion on the single topic of how to design the next ERA Policy Agenda. The discussion marked the start of a process that should lead to the adoption of the new ERA Policy Agenda before the end of 2024, as the current ERA Policy cycle runs from 2022 to 2024. The new ERA Policy Agenda is expected to take the form of a Council Recommendation, based on a proposal by the Commission to be put forward by mid-2024.

The Forum discussed the lessons learned from the current policy cycle and agreed that the new Policy Agenda must be comprehensive and focussed at the same time. This could be achieved by a combination of different types of actions: on the one hand a limited number of dedicated ERA actions with clear and concrete objectives and with medium term deliverables, and on the other hand broader policy/transformative/reform processes that need continued efforts but should also have clear objectives and deliverables. Thematic actions could also be part of the portfolio. Furthermore, the Forum agreed that actions would be driven by the Forum itself or its subgroups only where necessary, but would be assigned to dedicated structures such as ESFRI, PKH, EOSC GB, etc. where such structures exist. These structures would also play a major role in the definition of the respective actions.

The ERA Forum envisages a targeted consultation of stakeholders and national administrations on the basis of a template and criteria for future ERA actions to be started shortly. The Forum will have further meetings in July and September. On 8 October 2023, ERAC is supposed to have a dedicated discussion in view of providing advice on the next ERA Policy Agenda.