Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament - A mobility Strategy for the European Research Area
Date: 2001-06-20
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU action, EU research policy, labour mobility, research programme, research staff, scientific cooperation

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES

Brussels, 20.06.2001
COM(2001) 331 final

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION
TO THE COUNCIL AND THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

A MOBILITY STRATEGY FOR THE EUROPEAN RESEARCH AREA

1.

BACKGROUND

In January 2000, the Commission adopted a Communication proposing the creation of a
European Research Area (ERA)1. It emphasised, among other things, the need for more
abundant and more mobile human resources. Attention was drawn, especially, to making
more use in the future, both at national and at European level, of mobility as an instrument for
the transfer of scientific knowledge. This included introducing a European dimension to
scientific careers, making Europe more attractive to researchers from the rest of the world,
encouraging the return of those who have left to complete their training or pursue careers
abroad; and bringing together the scientific communities, companies and researchers of
Western and Eastern Europe.

The Lisbon European Council on 23-24 March 2000 endorsed the ERA project and set a
series of objectives as well as a timetable. In particular, the European Council asked the
Council and the Commission, together with the Member States where appropriate, to take the
necessary steps to remove obstacles to the mobility of researchers in Europe by 2002 and to
attract and retain high-quality research talent in Europe.

In a Resolution2 of 15 June 2000, the Research Council invited the Member States and the
Commission to co-operate in order to identify and take action with a view of removing
present obstacles to the mobility of researchers in order to facilitate the creation of a genuine
European scientific community.

Following the Research Council, the Commission set up a High-Level Expert Group on
Improving Mobility of Researchers (HLG), composed of national experts appointed by the
Member States, to help prepare an analysis with a view to the Commission presenting
proposals by June 2001. After detailed preparatory work by the Commission services, the
HLG held four meetings and presented a report in April 2001.

The regional dimension of mobility was specifically emphasised in the Commission
Communication “Realising the European Research Area: Guidelines for the Actions of the
Union in the field of Research 2002-2006”.3 This importance was further stressed by the
Research Council in its Resolution of November 2000, which underlined “the importance of
promoting the scientific and technological performance of all regions of the Member States”.

The area of research, innovation and enterprise was also identified as one of the key areas for
policy action at the Stockholm European Council of 23-24 March 2001, which emphasised,
among other points, the skills gap and problems of mobility. The European Council invited
the Council “to examine a specific strategy for mobility within the European Research Area
on the basis of the proposal announced by the Commission”. Furthermore, in order to
examine the driving forces, characteristics and barriers within the European labour market, a
high level skills and mobility task force was set up by the Commission. This task force will
contribute to the Action Plan, which the Commission will present for the spring 2002
European Council on developing and opening up new European labour markets.

1

2

3

COM(2000) 6 final.
OJ C 205, 19.7.2000, p. 1.
COM(2000) 612 final of 4.10.2000.

2

This Communication presents a strategy to create a favourable environment for the
mobility of researchers in the ERA, in order to develop, attract and retain appropriate
human resources in research and to promote innovation. It aims at building up the
research competence and excellence within the ERA by launching immediate actions for
the above-
implementation, creating the dynamics for increased development of
mentioned environment and identifying ways of financial support by the different actors
involved. Special attention will be devoted to the encouragement of inter-sectoral
mobility,
i.a. between business and academia and vice-versa. The same applies to
interregional mobility in order to avoid a “brain drain” in less developed regions by
actively promoting mobility both to and from these regions. In designing its mobility
strategy for researchers in the ERA, the present Communication takes into account the
approach towards researchers from candidate countries developed in the Commission
decision on the negotiation mandates for enlargement4, as well as the approach towards
third country nationals developed within the Commission’s amended proposals for a
“Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the posting of workers who
are third-country nationals for the provision of cross-border services”5, and a “Council
Directive extending the freedom to provide cross-border services to third-country
nationals established within the Community”.6 Finally, in the framework of the present
Communication, the Commission is fully aware of the challenges and opportunities
presented in the research area by the forthcoming enlargement of the EU. The candidate
countries have undoubtedly an important contribution to make in enhancing excellence
and mobility opportunities in Europe, thanks to the quality of their human resources in
the field of science and research.

2.

WHY A SPECIAL APPROACH FOR THE MOBILITY OF RESEARCHERS?

The European Research Area aims at a better total organisation of research in Europe.
Research is a powerful driving force for economic growth. Compared to its main competitors,
the situation of human resources in R&D in Europe over recent years raises a series of
concerns:

– The workforce in R&D is relatively low, as researchers account for only 5.1 in every

thousand of the workforce in Europe, against 7.4 in the US and 8.9 in Japan.7

– This difference is even more marked if one considers only the number of researchers
employed in industry: 2.5 in every thousand in Europe, against 7.0 in the US and 6.3 in
Japan.8

4

5

6

7

8

Doc. SEC(2001) 538/7 of 11 April 2001, “Essential Elements for the Draft Common Positions
concerning Freedom of Movement of Persons”.
OJ C 311 E/197 of 31.10.2000, p. 187.
OJ C 311 E/197 of 31.10.2000, p. 197.
“Towards a European Research Area. Science, technology and innovation key figures 2000”. European
Commission, Research DG and Eurostat, EUR 19396, 2000, p. 36. The figure for EU refers to 1997, US
to 1993 and Japan to 1998.
“Towards a European Research Area. Science, technology and innovation key figures 2000”. European
Commission, Research DG and Eurostat, EUR 19396, 2000, p. 36. The figures for EU refers to 1997,
US and Japan to 1998.

3

– Europe also seems to face a brain drain to the US of young scientific and technological
personnel9. Even though statistics are incomplete, especially concerning researchers
coming to Europe, it has been shown that half of foreign students with temporary visas
who receive US science and engineering doctorates are still found working in the US five
years later. This stay rate varies by field of degree, ranging from 32% in the social sciences
to 61% in the physical sciences and mathematics.10

– The number of young people attracted to careers in science and research is decreasing. In
the EU, 23% of people aged 20 to 29 years are in higher education, compared to 39% in
the USA.11

– Finally, there is presently in Europe an underused potential of women in scientific careers.
Notwithstanding the fact that half of all university graduates are women, they represent
less than 10% of full professors. As an example, a recent study focusing on the chemical
sector in the UK indicates that the proportion of women in this specific sector represents
16% of all academic staff, i.e. 22% of researchers, 13% of teachers, 4% of senior lecturers
and less than 1% of professors.12

This situation calls for urgent action, in order to maintain and increase Europe’s competitive
position. The continuous supply of a skilled workforce, both quantitatively and qualitatively,
is of paramount importance to optimise research in a knowledge-based society, and to fulfil
the goals of the European Research Area. Europe, in this respect, needs to radically increase
its numbers of researchers, by attracting more young people to research, by making better use
of the potential of women in science and by attracting high quality third country researchers
in order to take full advantage of global knowledge. The Commission’s Communication on
Innovation in a knowledge-driven economy13 called for encouragement of geographic and
intersectoral mobility of researchers, through explicit pathways.

Mobility, a well-known and effective way of training skilled workers and disseminating
knowledge, is a core element in research development, which has not yet been fully exploited
in Europe. Unlike other fields, where mobility periods are usually short and often restricted to
certain career stages, the mobility of researchers concerns all ages and steps in a researcher’s
career path. It permits the creation and operation of multi-national teams and networks of
researchers, which enhance Europe’s competitiveness and prospective exploitation of results.
transnational (movement between
Increased physical mobility of researchers, whether
countries) interregional or intersectorial (movement between academia and industry is
therefore essential in order to take a maximum advantage of available resources.

Mobility, however, is not an end in itself, but an instrument by which research results can be
optimised. It creates European added value by:

– improving the quantity and quality of research training, by offering the best available

opportunities regardless of where this expertise is situated;

9

10

11

12

13

S. Mahroum: “Skilled labour – Competing for the highly skilled: Europe in perspective.” Science and
Public Policy Vol. 26 No. 1, February 1998, p. 17-25.
M. G. Finn: “Stay rates of foreign doctorate recipients from U.S. universities,” Oak Ridge Institute for
Science and Education, 1999.
“Towards a European Research Area. Science, technology and innovation key figures 2000”. European
Commission, Research DG and Eurostat, EUR 19396, 2000, p. 39.
Ea, Study of the Factors affecting the Career Choices of Chemistry Graduates, London, 2000, p. 10.
COM(2000) 567.

4

– fostering research collaboration internationally, with different regions and between the

academic and business worlds (networking);

– enhancing the transfer of knowledge and technology between the different actors of the
European research and innovation system, including industry (the mobility of business
managers to the scientific sector and academia should be duly taken into consideration);

– raising the scientific excellence of individual researchers and furthering the creation of
internationally renowned centres of excellence attractive to researchers from all over the
world;

– furthering the distribution of research excellence in the different regions of Europe,

including the less-favoured regions of the EU and in the candidate countries;

– making the research work more efficient by pooling together competence and experience,
providing better dissemination of research results, as well as optimising the use of research
infrastructure and research funding opportunities;

– demonstrating, with its mere existence, the openness of the European Research Area.

This is why the mobility of researchers must be considered as a priority.

The impact of mobility differs depending on the individuals concerned, the organisations
large. Mobility must be
involved,
encouraged, when it is beneficial to all concerned.

the research world itself as well as the society at

3.

THE WAY FORWARD – A COMMON STRATEGY FOR INTERVENTION PRIORITY
AREAS

The strategy outlined in the present document takes into account the work of the HLG as well
as ongoing work at Community level on mobility in the areas of education14, employment
(High Level Task Force on Skills and Mobility) and public administration15. It builds on
previous work, most notably the Green Paper on Obstacles to Transnational Mobility (1996)16
and the report of the High Level Panel on the free movement of persons chaired by
Mrs Simone Veil (1997)17. It also finds a place in the new strategy currently promoted by the
Commission for ensuring New European Labour Markets open and accessible to all
by 200518. It goes, however, a step further by incorporating both the specificity of research
and the challenge of the ERA. It encompasses all fields of research, in both the public and the
private sectors as well as all age categories and stages of a researcher’s career (PhD student,
early-stage, mid-career or senior researcher).

14

15

16

17

18

The Commission’s amended proposal for a Recommendation of the European Parliament and of the
Council on mobility within the Community for students, persons undergoing training, young volunteers,
teachers and trainers, COM (2000) 723 final, and the Action Plan for Mobility, OJ C 371, of
23.12.2000, p. 4.
The Directors-General for public administration has an ad hoc Mobility Group on free movement
within the public service. A report on legal obstacles to mobility was submitted for the Directors-
General’s meeting of 9-10.11.2000.
COM(1996) 462 final.
The high-level panel report, as well as other information on the free movement of persons is available
on the Internet at http://europa.eu.int/comm/internal_market/en/people/index.htm.
See the Communication “New European Labour Markets, Open to All, with Access to All”,
COM(2001) 116 final.

5

The rationale behind the mobility strategy for the ERA is an improved research system. In
order to achieve this, a more favourable environment for transnational and intersectorial
mobility throughout the research career must be created. This includes improvement of
European research funding and research infrastructure, as well as removal of obstacles to
mobility and further financial incentives to increase mobility.

By making mobility a central element throughout the different stages of the research career,
the present strategy aims at:

– making Europe more attractive for researchers. This includes retaining researchers in
Europe, attracting third country researchers to the EU, and encouraging researchers based
outside the EU to return;

– enhancing the transnational mobility of researchers and strengthening the European

dimension of research careers;

– stimulating increased mobility between academia and industry and a better exploitation of

research results.

In making Europe more attractive for researchers, special attention needs to be paid to prevent
new forms of ‘brain drain’ from third countries with less developed research capacity. Rather,
the present strategy should strengthen and develop a symbiotic collaboration with these
countries, thus encouraging them to build up their own research capacity.

Within the Union regional cohesion will be pursued by taking due account of the necessity for
less developed regions to attract researchers in order to allow for their own RTD-driven long-
term development strategies and to avoid that
less-developed regions suffer from the
increased competition for highly qualified researchers.

In determining its overall objective for
the
Commission has benefited considerably from the work undertaken by the HLG. Some key
elements have been identified by the Group:

increasing the mobility of

researchers,

First, the obstacles encountered by researchers and their families depend very much on the
duration of the stay (short-term of typically a few months to a year; medium-term of about
2-5 years; or long-term) and the stage of the career in which the mobility is undertaken. The
HLG noted in their report that there appeared to be a concentration of obstacles for mid-career
researchers in medium term stays. The legal situation is also distinctly different for third
country researchers than for EU citizens.

Secondly, only some obstacles are particular to researchers, but as researchers are, on the
average, more mobile than the total workforce, the remaining general obstacles to mobility of
workers and students affect
them considerably. These barriers are social, cultural and
linguistic, but also economic, often due to a lack of recognition of qualification and of
relevant social and economic information.19

Thirdly, differences can be observed between the text of regulations and their implementation
in practice, for even if the rules may appear clear, there can be problems with their application
in practical cases.

19

For an analysis of the latter barriers, see the above-mentioned Commission’s Communication “New
European Labour Markets, Open to All, with Access to All”.

6

The provision of reliable and up-to-date information is vital for determining the true situation
encountered by mobile researchers. In this respect, it should also be mentioned that there is a
striking lack of comprehensive statistics about mobility of researchers in the majority of
Member States, even in countries with regular collection of information and nation-wide
registers. This concerns both incoming and outgoing researchers. The information available is
often dispersed and incomplete. For instance, labour force surveys are not particularly helpful,
because researchers are not identified as a distinct group. Complementary work is needed, in
particular by the Member States, in order to obtain the relevant statistics and to identify with
greater precision the existing mobility patterns and the difficulties encountered at different
stages of the researcher’s career.

Nevertheless, the strategy to create a more favourable environment for the mobility of
researchers in Europe must be articulated around the following priority interventions, which
have been defined with the help of the HLG:

– Return and career development: Mobility is often not sufficiently appreciated. For
researchers without a permanent position, there is a fear of being left ‘out of the system’ if
they go abroad. Researchers who have been away from their national research system for
some years have often difficulties to obtain a position on returning home. For more
leave of absence can be of disadvantage to the career
established researchers,
advancement. The research undertaken abroad or in the other sector may not be adequately
appreciated. Researchers who move with the intention of a long-term stay in another
country have often to ‘start from the beginning’ in the new country: they may lose the
recognition and social status they have had.

– Financial issues: Mobility is hindered by inadequate funding. Insufficient numbers of
opportunities exist to obtain positions, fellowships, return and or re-integration grants etc,
especially at mid-career and senior researcher
financial
replacements often occur in countries, which have sabbaticals for academic researchers.

level. Difficulties to cover

– Admission to the country and access to employment: Immigration restrictions may hinder
third country researchers from contributing to the European Research Area. Third country
family members of EU/EEA researchers continue to face problems linked to visa,
residence permit and work permit requirements. Even the ‘green card’ systems developed
to attract highly skilled workforce from abroad are temporary in nature: after the stipulated
time, the worker normally has to leave the country20. Free movement of third country
researchers is also at present restricted. Thus difficulties are encountered by such
researchers in the EU who wish to travel to non-Schengen countries for use of special
research infrastructures or for scientific conferences.

– Social security rights and fiscal issues: Differences in the social security systems and
levels of taxation among Member States may make mobility unattractive. Mobile persons
often have to pay contributions for benefits they cannot enjoy, nor receive compensation
for. This concerns, e.g. unemployment benefits. In some countries, civil servants have
specific pension systems with restrictions that make it difficult to move without loss to
another country or to the private sector. Third country nationals, who are obliged to leave
the country at the end of their planned stay, may lose their pension contributions, if there is
no bilateral social security agreement covering the situation. Bilateral taxation agreements
in particular countries outside of the EU,
are missing with some relevant countries,

20

Five years in the German ‘IT-specialists Temporary Relief Program’.

7

introducing a risk of double taxation. Likewise, there is a risk of double taxation of
pensions, due to different treatment of pension contributions and benefits.

– Intellectual property rights (IPR): These matters, especially for intersectorial mobility, are

widely perceived as a complex issue and a potential barrier.

– Recruitment conditions and methods: Research positions are often still not advertised
internationally, the application submission time is too short and there are difficulties
related with the recognition of diplomas from other countries. For positions in the public
sector, researchers may still face restrictions imposed by the civil service status, for
instance in relation to language requirements.

– Family issues: These need to be emphasised, as researchers normally either move with
their family or need to keep close contact with the family remaining in the home country,
depending on the duration of the stay. Less favourable maternity leave and benefits in a
host country or inadequate day-care for children may deter, for instance, young researchers
from moving to another country. Particular attention should also be given in this respect to
the dual career problem: the partner often has difficulties to find a job in the new country
or to take a leave from his or her present job.

– Gender: Finally, specific attention needs to be paid to the gender aspect of mobility.
Generally speaking, as highlighted in the ETAN report on Women and Science, women
researchers continue to face more serious obstacles to career progression than men do.
Specific obstacles arising from the structures, procedures and criteria governing mobility
schemes need to be addressed to ensure mobility equality for women scientists.

4.

ACTIONS

In implementing its strategy for a more favourable environment
researchers, the Commission,
develop two types of actions:

in close co-operation with the Member States,

for the mobility of
intends to

– the first aims at establishing the dynamics required to set up and develop a favourable

environment for mobile researchers throughout their career;

– the second refers to the financial measures required in order to reach a critical mass of

mobile researchers within the European Research Area.

For the reasons recalled in section 1, candidate countries will be fully integrated in the
proposed initiatives.

The financing of the actions described in the present chapter is entirely covered by the Fifth
Framework programme for Research (1998-2002) and the proposal for the New Framework
Programme (2002-2006).

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4.1.

Actions aimed at establishing the dynamics to improve the environment for
mobile researchers

This first type of actions, based on medium-term perspectives, aims at improving the practical
environment of researchers in Europe, and to set up a dynamics for enhancing the conditions
enabling mobility to be more effective. These actions will be developed in synergy with other
initiatives developed by the Commission, and in particular those put
forward in the
framework of the Recommendation of the Council and the European Parliament on mobility
within the Community for students, persons undergoing training, young volunteers, teachers
and trainers; the Action Plan for Mobility; and the Communication on the New European
Labour Markets.

4.1.1. Improving the information on mobility

The Commission will launch a series of immediate actions in order to provide a better
comprehensive vision of mobility opportunities in Europe and to encourage researchers to
undertake mobility experiences. Based on the recommendations of the HLG, they aim at
providing an overall framework in which the mobility strategy will develop.

Information to researchers and better dissemination of vacancies: The Commission
proposes to set up an Internet portal linking national and Commission Internet sites by
providing a common entry point for researchers to national and Community level information.
In this respect, the Commission will encourage the development, within each Member State,
of comprehensive national Internet sites for EU and foreign researchers, detailing national
regulations and procedures, providing practical information, and listing job vacancies and
funding opportunities. The sites will particularly aim at providing references to funding
opportunities for researchers wishing to go abroad or to return to their home country. In
implementing this initiative, the Commission will pay due attention to the ongoing work
aiming at the development, in the context of the New European Labour Markets, of a one-stop
European mobility information site, and the setting up of a Europe-wide jobs and learning
database21. In developing the present initiative, the Commission will also encourage all
regions,
are
less-developed ones,
comprehensively disseminated through the Community and national web sites. For actors in
the research area of the less developed regions, it is of utmost importance that regional
advantages and specificities are taken into account when competing to attract researchers.

and particularly the

that vacancies

to assure

Statistics: In order to develop the above-mentioned actions, the Commission intends to
significantly improve,
in close co-operation with national statistics agencies and/or the
statistics departments of Research Ministries, a more reliable and comprehensive collection of
statistical data and studies on the mobility of researchers, with specific reference to the gender
dimension. Starting with fact-finding initiatives, the objective is to create a dynamics in
support of the overall mobility strategy.

21

The conclusions of the Stockholm European Council specify in this context that “the Commission will
work with national and other relevant actors, to assess before the end of [2001], the feasibility of
establishing a one-stop European mobility information site”.

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4.1.2.

Improving the provision of practical assistance to researchers

Mobility Centres : The Commission will encourage the creation of Mobility Centres, which
will assist national and foreign researchers in dealing with legal and administrative matters
and provide training facilities to officials dealing with mobility, particularly within
universities. Among their tasks, the Mobility Centres will deliver practical information on
accommodation, day-care or education for children and give advice on job opportunities for
the accompanying partner. The Centres will not replace existing structures, but provide
necessary means for a better co-operation and networking between existing and newly created
structures.22

Ombudsmen: In addition to the creation of Mobility Centres, the Commission will encourage
the setting up of a network of national Ombudsmen responsible for handling practical
complaints from researchers.

Recruitment methods: The Commission will encourage Member States, regions and other
actors in the research area (academia, research centres etc.) to take initiatives to better
advertise research positions internationally. Proposals will be put forward in order to remove
remaining barriers, which prevent foreign researchers from participating in selection and
evaluation committees. Based on the successful experiences conducted in several Member
States,
the Commission will encourage the inclusion of a minimum ratio of foreign
researchers in such committees, as well as a proper gender balance. In the implementation of
the present action, synergy will be ensured with existing networks operating in this area, such
as EURES.

4.1.3. Qualitative issues

Inter-ministerial meetings on mobility: The Commission will encourage, where appropriate,
the organisation, within Member States, of inter-ministerial meetings on current obstacles of
direct concern to the European Research Area. These meetings will help to raise awareness
about the necessity to develop integrated strategies for the mobility of researchers by liasing
with appropriate structures at national or regional level. Based on the results of these
meetings, the Commission will assist interested Member States in organising global high-
level meetings on Research at national level.

Exchange of best practice: Based on the recommendations of the HLG, the Commission will
set up, in collaboration with the Member States, a series of workshops on the exchange of best
practice, on themes of common interest. The French scientific visa procedure, which received
considerable interest in the HLG, would be a possible theme for the first workshop.

In order

Benchmarking:
to enhance the development of mobility opportunities, a
benchmarking exercise on mobility issues will be established. Based on preliminary actions in
relation to the exchange of best practice, the initiative will focus on the improvement of
mobility opportunities (e.g. the Quality Charter) and support mechanisms for mobility at
national and Community level. The possibility of identifying common criteria for the
improvement of the professional situation of the researcher at European level, e.g. by
fostering administrative co-ordination, might also be envisaged in this context. The
implementation of the present benchmarking initiative will take fully into account the work

22

In implementing this initiative, specific attention will be paid to measures 1f on the Recommendation
on the Mobility of students, persons undergoing training, young volunteers, teachers and trainers, and
measures 111 and 113 of the Action Plan for Mobility.

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carried out by the High Level Group on Benchmarking, which was set up by the Lisbon
European Council of 23 and 24 March 2000. The Commission intends to publish and
disseminate widely the results of the benchmarking exercise.

‘Quality charter’: Finally, based on the benchmarking exercise, the Commission will prepare
a ‘quality charter’ for the reception of foreign researchers. The charter will guarantee a
minimum level of assistance to foreign researchers from the institutions involved. This
assistance will include support for integration into the working and social environment of the
host country, including taxation and intellectual property rights. The objective is to encourage
host organisations to take more responsibility for their foreign staff and visiting researchers.23

4.1.4. Legal improvements

Admission, access to employment, social security and taxation: The Commission has already
initiated a series of steps in order to improve the legal situation affecting mobility beyond the
specific area of research. However, in the preparation and discussion of these measures, the
Commission, the Member States and the Parliament need to ensure that the specificity of
researchers is duly taken in consideration. The proposed measures will include i.a. a directive
proposal for family reunification presently under discussion24, a proposed directive for a
status for third country nationals that are long-term residents in an EU Member State, and a
number of proposals to further facilitate the free movement of EU citizens. In addition to
these general measures, the Commission will investigate the possibility of an ‘EC researcher
card’ or scientific visa, which will allow third country researchers to enter the EU more
easily, especially when they are participating in public funded research. This would also allow
free movement within the EU, once the foreign researcher is granted residence in a Member
State. In the social security area, the Stockholm Council of 23 and 24 March 2001 endorsed
the Commission’s proposal to simplify Regulation 1408/7125, which would extend the co-
ordination of social security between Member States to third country nationals legally resident
in the European Union. For the right to receive unemployment benefits, this would include an
extension from three to six months of the permitted time spent abroad searching for work. The
Commission will present before the end of 2001 a proposal on the portability of
supplementary pensions26. The Commission will also encourage Member States to continue to
conclude bilateral social security agreements with non-EU states. Similarly, Member States
will be encouraged to complete the network of bilateral tax agreements27 in order to include
all countries participating in the Framework Programme.

23

24

25

26

27

In implementing this action, due attention will be paid to measure 321 of the Action Plan for Mobility.
The Commission’s amended proposal, COM(2000) 624.
The Commission’s proposal, COM(1998) 779 final and OJ C 38, 12.2.1999, p. 10.
The problem of cross border pension schemes has been already addressed in the document
COM(2001) 214 final, Communication from the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament
and the Economic and Social Committee on “The elimination of tax obstacles to the cross-border
provision of occupational pensions”. In its conclusions, it states that the Commission invites the
Council, the European Parliament and the Economic and Social Committee to examine the measures
necessary to eliminate unjustified obstacles to the free movement of workers resulting from the
diversity of Member States’ occupational pension taxation systems, in particular from double taxation”.
See, however, the work already accomplished in this area described in document SEC(1992) 1118 final,
Commission Communication to the Council and the European Parliament subsequent to the conclusions
of the Ruding Committee indicating guidelines on company taxation linked to the further development
of the Internal Market. Paragraph 34 of the Communication reads: “The Commission also agrees with
the recommendations regarding bilateral tax treaties. This applies both to the call for Member States to
complete the network of treaties within the Community and to increase their scope and to the definition
of a common policy towards double taxation agreements with non-member countries”.

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4.2.

Actions aimed at providing appropriate financial support for developing a
critical mass of mobile researchers in Europe

The creation of a favourable environment for the mobility of researchers is necessary but not
always sufficient in itself. It must be complemented by a system of financial incentives at
local, regional, national or Community level, adapted to the different stages and forms of
mobility and the characteristics of the countries and researchers concerned.

In defining these incentives, it is of paramount importance that the financial mechanisms go
beyond the mere financing of fellowships. They need to take systematically into consideration
such issues as the return and re-integration of researchers to and within Europe, the situation
of families and the financial compensation for obstacles linked to mobility issues.

At the same time, the overall success of the strategy is closely linked to the opening of
national programmes to nationals from other countries.

On this basis, the Commission has developed in its proposal for a new framework programme
for research (2002-2006)28 (NFP) an unprecedented effort to enhance the Human Resource
dimension in Science, and more particularly the values of mobility.

In conceiving its proposal, the Commission has pursued the following objectives:

– an opening and broadening of the existing instruments in order to encourage researchers to
undertake mobility experiences throughout their professional career, notwithstanding their
age, gender, experience or country of origin, with the objective of encouraging training in
and for research, the transfer of knowledge, the networking of centres of excellence and the
optimal use of research infrastructures of the highest level throughout the EU;

– a significant increase and diversification in the availability of funding opportunities, in
order to enhance, through the provision of global instruments, a dynamic perspective for
researchers in Europe. In this context, particular attention has been paid to the development
of global instruments with a view to permit an easier access to research careers;

– the introduction of systematic mechanisms for the return and professional integration or re-
integration of researchers to and within Europe, and in particular those who have
established themselves in other parts of the world29;

– the stimulation and promotion, through financial incentives, of excellence in European
in order to improve its visibility and attractiveness. These measures aim
research,
particularly at promoting European research teams, especially in new and/or emerging
areas of research, and at highlighting personal achievements of European researchers, with
a view to supporting their further development and international recognition;

– the provision of more open and systematic access to funding for researchers from third
countries, as well as for European researchers wishing to acquire an experience abroad;

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Proposal for a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the multiannual
Framework Programme 2002-2006 of
the European Community for Research, Technological
Development and Demonstration activities aimed at contributing towards the creation of the European
Research Area, COM(2001) 94 final/2 of 1 March 2001.
Particular attention will be paid in this respect to researchers returning to less developed regions of the
Union. In the case of emerging economies and developing countries, the scheme may include provision
to assist researchers to return to their country of origin.

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– finally, a larger access to funding, through appropriate mechanisms, of national or regional
mobility programmes, which will be open to researchers from other European countries. In
doing so, the Commission has seeked to encourage Member States to make research
project
funding more dependent on mobility aspects by taking transnational and
intersectorial mobility more systematically into consideration in selection criteria and
promotion schemes.

5.

POLICY ASSESSMENT

In order to implement and monitor the actions listed above, the Commission intends to set up
with the Member States a scoreboard in order to follow the development of the above-
mentioned actions at national and Community level. This initiative is closely related to the
benchmarking exercise explained in Section 4. In general, the Commission will monitor the
actions launched in section 4, and disseminate widely the progress reports on the
implementation of the present strategy for mobility in the ERA. The scoreboard, which will
be updated annually, will monitor progress on the actions initiated by the present
Communication and enable the identification of possible needs for further Community
actions.

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