Eurodoc and MCAA publish wishlist for ERA Act

The European Council of Doctoral Candidates and Junior Researchers (Eurodoc) and the Marie Curie Alumni Association (MCAA) have published a statement on the upcoming ERA Act. In their so called 'wishlist for the ERA Act', the authors urge EU lawmakers to enshrine scientific freedom in legislation. They demand the creation of an independent ombudsperson for academic freedom at European level, to defend researchers whose autonomy is threatened.

They stress that open science must remain the default approach. Instead of restricting research, the EU should champion transparency and fairness, ensuring inclusive participation and equal opportunities for researchers throughout the Union. To ensure that public investment directly benefits science and society, the authors want all EC-funded researchers - including doctoral candidates - to be officially employed with full social security. They insist on keeping mandatory Gender Equality Plans for all EU research funding, now enforced with compliance checks. The group calls for bold action to make research careers attractive: recognising doctoral candidates as professionals, guaranteeing competitive salaries, and granting all researchers equal social security and mobility rights across Europe.

Turning to funding, they ask for a sustained commitment: 3% of GDP for R&I, and a permanent, independent structure for key programmes like the ERC and MSCA. Ultimately, the authors urge EU leaders to adopt these measures to protect academic freedom, promote open science, and secure Europe’s future as an international research powerhouse.

The statement can be found here:

Statement by Eurodoc & the MCAA: Wishlist for the ERA Act