ERA Act 2026: A Four-Pillar Framework for European Research
The European Parliament has taken an early step in shaping the upcoming European Research Area (ERA) Act, which the European Commission is expected to propose in 2026. The ERA Act was also discussed recently at the Permanent Representation of Austria to the EU in Brussels on 24 November, in the context of a Round Table Research exchange with the Austrian R&I community, which was attended by ESEIA Director Brigitte Hasewend.
Originally conceived in 2000, the ERA was designed to overcome national barriers that limit cross-border collaboration among researchers and innovators. However, its largely voluntary instruments have not delivered a true single market for research and innovation. The ERA Act seeks to address this gap by introducing legally binding obligations, transforming the ERA into a more coherent and effective framework. Although the Commission’s proposal was initially planned for 2027, Research Commissioner Ekaterina Zaharieva advanced the timeline to 2026 to ensure adoption within the current EU political mandate.
The proposal is structured around four main priorities:
- safeguarding the freedom of scientific research through dedicated legislation;
- establishing a strong, binding and coherent ERA governance framework;
- embedding the 3% R&D investment target while better aligning public and private funding with EU strategic priorities;
- and improving researcher circulation, careers and working conditions, including mobility, gender equality and knowledge security.
The Act is expected to be published before the summer, still under the Cyprus Presidency.
For ESEIA and its members, the ERA Act is highly relevant, as it will shape the framework conditions for European research and innovation collaboration, funding alignment, and talent mobility, core elements underpinning ESEIA’s mission to accelerate sustainable energy innovation through cross-sector and cross-border cooperation.
