LERU publishes feedback on Call for Evidence on ERA Act

The League of European Research Universities (LERU) has published its feedback to the European Commission's Call for Evidence on the European Research Area (ERA) Act, which closed on 10 September 2025. In its contribution, LERU proposes a two-track approach for the future ERA policy and a draft regulation that will give effect to the ERA objective of Article 179 TFEU.

LERU explains that ERA Track 1 is the continuation of voluntary and cooperation measures (the ‘bottom up” approach); ERA Track 2 is the introduction of legislative measures (the “top down” approach). Track 1 is already embedded in the ERA Policy Agenda (EPA) for 2025-2027. Track 2 should be realised through the adoption of an ERA Act and other legislative initiatives complementary to the EPA.

LERU calls upon the EC to take a clever approach in drafting an ERA Act, not "a legislative avalanche of do’s and don’ts embedded in an EU directive and other legislative initiatives, all to be implemented by the 27 member states in a short period of time". LERU calls on the EC not to "waste this unique opportunity and momentum for an ERA Act and the realisation of the fifth freedom".

The association supports the preparation of a regulation which anchors the basic objectives and principles of EU research policy, and which fully connects with the recommendations, principles, guidelines, and codes as established by the EU over the past decades on many research topics (e.g. freedom of scientific research, research careers, research security, research assessment; research integrity, EDI, open science, research infrastructures, knowledge valorisation, etc). By referring to them in, and backing them legally through the ERA Act, Member States can be submitted to passive prohibitions and active obligations on these ERA topics which should lead to a reform of their national research systems and in this way make a major contribution to the realisation of the ERA, LERU states.

By granting citizens, organisations and institutions in the ERA Act a legal basis to challenge Member State authorities when they fail to respect the imposed passive prohibitions or the active obligations, and as such endanger the necessary reforms of the national research systems and the realisation of the ERA, they can contribute to the implementation and enforcement of the ERA Act.

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LERU feedback on the European Commission Call for Evidence on the European Research Area Act