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European Commission conference on the outcomes of the consultation on the European Research Area

February 02, 2012

On 30 January, the European Commission organised a conference on the outcomes of the consultation on the European Research Area (ERA) framework. The consultation was held in response to the European Council conclusions of February 2011 which called for the removal of the remaining obstacles to complete ERA by 2014.

On this occasion, Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science, Máire Geoghegan-Quinn insisted on the necessity to act faster towards the completion of ERA. Robert-Jan Smits, Director General for Research, detailed the new approach of the Commission, based on strengthened partnerships with key stakeholders at European level who will be invited to sign a pact on the delivery of ERA. The Commission further announced that it will publish an action plan for the completion of ERA in June, and that a new conference will be held under the Cypriot EU Presidency on the contents of the Commission’s proposal at the end of the year.

As main priorities for action, the conference highlighted research careers and mobility, with a particular focus on recruitment practices, and stressed the importance to improve further the quality of cross-border operations, notably through joint programming initiatives and enhanced interoperability of funding schemes.

EUA’s response to the ERA framework consultation on behalf of its members is available here.

The preliminary report of the consultation is available here.