Proposal for a COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION on a Pact for Research and Innovation in Europe
Date: 2021-07-16
Institutions: Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, European Commission
Subjects: EU research policy, digital economy, green economy, innovation, open science, research and development, research infrastructure, scientific cooperation

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   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 16.7.2021  COM(2021) 407 final 2021/0230 (NLE)  Proposal for a COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION on a Pact for Research and Innovation in Europe  
 
EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 

1. 

CONTEXT OF THE PROPOSAL 

Evidence  from  20  years  of  implementing  the  European  Research  Area  (ERA)  shows  that 
while  the  ERA  has  contributed  to  major  achievements  in  areas  such  as  research 
infrastructures,  open  science,  international  cooperation,  gender  balance  in  research  and 
innovation, joint programming and the mobility of researchers, more needs to be done.  

On  30  September  2020,  the  Commission  adopted  a  Communication  on  A  New  ERA  for 
Research  and  Innovation  (COM(2020)  628  final),  in  order  to  put  in  place  a  new  European 
Research Area fit to deliver on the ambition of making a successful transition to a sustainable, 
digital and resilient Europe and to better prepare for the future.  
The  2020  Communication  calls  for1  a  deepening  of  the  ERA,  moving  from  coordination  of 
national  policies  to  a  deeper  integration  of  these  policies.  It  calls  for  mobilising  Member 
States around key principles and values and for identifying priority areas for joint action. This 
is    relevant  at  a  time  when  increased  and  more  focused  national  funding  and  reforms  are 
needed,  particularly  in  view  of  the  pandemic,  to  accelerate  the  twin  green  and  digital 
transition.  

Research  and  innovation  are  largely  national  competences  and  building  the  European 
Research  Area  therefore  relies  to  a  great  extent  on  national  policy  reforms  and  national 
initiatives. The Pact for Research and Innovation in Europe sets out commonly agreed values 
and  principles  and  identifies  the  areas  where  Member  States  will  jointly  develop  priority 
actions,  supporting  in  this  way  the  implementation  of  the  vision  and  objectives  of  the  new 
ERA.  

To support the implementation of national ERA policies, this Pact is built on (i) common EU 
principles and values for research and innovation (R&I); (ii) shared priority areas for action; 
(iii) investments and reforms carried out through commonly agreed voluntary targets; and (iv) 
a simplified policy coordination and monitoring process. Bringing these elements together in 
a  single  legal  act  will  reaffirm  Member  States’  political  commitment  to  mobilise  their  R&I 
policies  towards  the  challenges  that  Europe  faces  today,  notably  the  twin  transition  and  the 
post-pandemic  recovery.  It  will  also  guide  and  update  new  policy  directions  and  help  to 
monitor and assess progress made.  

At the same time, the Pact will underpin the EU’s efforts to lead by example internationally 
and to promote a level playing field based on reciprocity underpinned by fundamental values, 
as  set  out  in  the  Commission  Communication  on  the  Global  Approach  to  Research  and 
Innovation2. 

It is proposed that the Pact takes the form of a single non-binding initiative, that is, a Council 
Recommendation, as a reflection of the common and shared ambition of progressing towards 
a new ERA. 

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2 

COM(2020)  628  final  proposes  four  strategic  objectives  to  ensure  that  a  new  ERA  is  fit  for  the 
challenges  ahead:  (i)  prioritising  investments  and  reforms,  (ii)  improving  access  to  excellence,  (iii) 
translating research and innovation results into the economy, (iv) deepening the ERA.  
COM(2021) 252 final. 

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2. 

• 

LEGAL BASIS, SUBSIDIARITY AND PROPORTIONALITY 

Legal basis 

The  legal  bases  for  this  initiative  are  Articles  182(5)  and  292  TFEU.  In  accordance  with 
Article 292 TFEU, the Council can adopt recommendations and it will act on a proposal from 
the Commission in all cases where the Treaties provide that it must adopt acts on a proposal 
from  the  Commission.  In  accordance  with  Article  179  TFEU,  the  Union  will  have  the 
objective  of  strengthening  its  scientific  and  technological  bases  by  achieving  a  European 
research area in which researchers, scientific knowledge and technology circulate freely, and 
encouraging it to become more competitive, including in its industry, while promoting all the 
research activities deemed necessary. 

In  accordance  with  Article  181  TFEU,  the  European  Union  and  the  Member  States  have  to 
coordinate  their  research  and  technological  development  activities  to  ensure  that  national 
policies and EU policy are mutually consistent. In close cooperation with the Member States, 
the  Commission  may  take  any  useful  initiative  to  promote  this  coordination,  in  particular 
initiatives  aiming  at  the  establishment  of  guidelines  and  indicators,  the  organisation  of 
exchange  of  best  practice,  and  the  preparation  of  the  necessary  elements  for  periodic 
monitoring and evaluation. The European Parliament must be kept fully informed. 

Article  182(5)  opens  up  the  possibility  of  complementing  the  activities  planned  in  the 
multiannual  framework  programme  by  allowing  the  European  Parliament  and  the  Council, 
acting  in  accordance  with  the  ordinary  legislative  procedure  and  after  consulting  the 
Economic  and  Social  Committee,  to  establish  necessary  measures  for  implementing  the 
European Research Area. 

• 

Subsidiarity (for non-exclusive competence)  

The purpose of the European Research Area is to create an area where ‘researchers, scientific 
knowledge and technology circulate freely’ (Article 179 TFEU). As a multi-level governance 
initiative  and  implementing  the  whole-of-government  approach  –  ensuring  that  policies  are 
aligned  at  different  levels  of  governance  and  across  policy  domains,  it  is  in  line  with  the 
principle  of  subsidiarity.  It  respects  the  competence  of  Member  States  in  this  area,  while  it 
aims at ensuring that research and innovation policy works in close synergy across all levels 
of  government  (local,  regional,  national  and  global)  and  it  introduces  initiatives  providing 
most  of  the  EU  added  value  at  the  European  level  linked  to  and  building  on  national  and 
regional  policy  responses.  Thus,  the  subsidiarity  principle  applies,  given  that  the  proposal 
does not fall under the exclusive competence of the European Union. 

• 

Proportionality 

The  actions  proposed  are  proportional  to  the  objectives  pursued.  The  proposal  supports  the 
achievement of the objectives of the new European Research Area. It complements Member 
States’  efforts  in  creating  a  researcher-centred,  value-based,  excellent  and  impact-driven 
research  area.  The  proposal  respects  Member  States’  practices  and  accommodates  a 
differentiated  approach  reflecting  Member  States’  different  economic,  financial  and  social 
situations  as  well  as  the  diversity  of  research  systems  and  respective  institutions  and 
organisations.  It recognises that different national, regional or local conditions could lead to 
differences in how the proposed recommendation is implemented. 

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3. 

• 

RESULTS 
CONSULTATIONS AND IMPACT ASSESSMENTS  

EVALUATIONS, 

EXPOST 

OF 

STAKEHOLDER 

Stakeholder consultations 

The views of multiple stakeholders have been gathered at a number of events.  In particular, 
the ERA Forum for Transition (set up as an informal Commission expert group) has provided 
advice to the Commission, and allows the views of the Member States and stakeholders to be 
taken into account in a structured way. Relevant stakeholders and umbrella organisations were 
invited to share their views (e.g. at workshops on 20 April and 25 May 2021) and are properly 
taken into account.  

A public consultation  was also  conducted between 15 April and 13 May 2021 to  gather the 
views of the broader public. 

As this initiative is provided for in the recent Commission Communication on ‘A New ERA 
for Research and Innovation,’ (COM(2020) 628 final), it relies heavily on the analytical work 
and evidence supporting the new European Research Area Communication (SWD(2020) 214 
final). 

• 

Impact assessment 

No  impact  assessment  was  carried  out,  as  the  accompanying  roadmap  describes  that  this 
initiative was provided for in the Commission Communication on ‘A New ERA for Research 
and  Innovation’, (COM(2020) 628 final). Therefore, it relies heavily on the analytical  work 
and evidence supporting the new European Research Area Communication (SWD(2020) 214 
final). 

4. 

BUDGETARY IMPLICATIONS 

Not relevant 

5. 

OTHER ELEMENTS 

Not relevant 

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2021/0230 (NLE) 

Proposal for a 

COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION 

on a Pact for Research and Innovation in Europe 

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 

Having  regard  to  the  Treaty  on  the  Functioning  of  the  European  Union,  and  in  particular 
Article 182(5) and Article 292, first and second sentence, thereof, 

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission, 

Whereas: 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

(4) 

(5) 

On 30 September 2020, the Commission adopted a Communication on ‘A New ERA 
for  Research  and  Innovation’,3  in  which  it  sets  out  a  new  vision  for  the  European 
Research Area (ERA) and announces the intention to propose a Pact for Research and 
Innovation.  

The  Council  Conclusions  on  the  New  European  Research  Area,  adopted  on  1 
December 20204, calls on the Commission and the Member States in 2021 to develop 
an  ERA  policy  agenda  and  a  multi-level  governance  model  to  deliver  on  the  new 
European Research Area.  

Over  the  past  two  decades,  the  implementation  of  the  European  Research  Area  has 
contributed to some major achievements in areas such as research infrastructures, open 
science,  international  cooperation,  gender  balance  in  research  and  innovation,  joint 
programming, research careers and the mobility of researchers. However, progress on 
research and innovation (R&I) investment has recently slowed down and more needs 
to be done to reverse this trend. 

In  order  to  address  global  challenges,  international  cooperation  through  ERA  should 
take into account  the priorities of the Union’s external  relations, should be based on 
multilateralism and purposeful openness and should promote a level playing field and 
reciprocity underpinned by fundamental values and common framework conditions.  

To deliver on an ERA fit for the future, it is necessary to move from an approach of 
coordination  to  a  deeper  integration  between  national  policies.  Therefore,  the 
Commission  Communication  ‘A  New  ERA  for  Research  and  Innovation’  calls  for 
mobilising Member States around key principles and values and for identifying shared 
priority  areas  for  action.  This  is  particularly  relevant  at  a  time  when  increased  and 
more focused national funding and reforms are necessary to accelerate the twin green 
and  digital  transition  and  to  implement  the  Paris  Agreement  goals,  in  line  with 
European Green Deal objectives.  

(6) 

A common set of principles and values is necessary to reaffirm solid foundations for 
research and innovation in the Union, underlining values (ethics and integrity; freedom 

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COM(2020) 628 final. 
135673567135673567/20. 

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(7) 

(8) 

of  scientific  research;  gender  equality  and  equal  opportunities),  setting  out  better 
working conditions (free circulation of researchers, knowledge and technology; pursuit 
of  excellence;  value  creation)  and  increasing  cooperation  (coordination,  coherence, 
commitment; global outreach; inclusiveness; societal responsibility). 

Jointly agreed shared priority areas should constitute a clear indication to stakeholders 
of  the  areas  and  actions  that  the  Union  and  its  Member  States  consider  as  their 
common  priorities  and  where  they  commit  to  work  together,  creating  a  stable 
framework for policymakers, public funders, private investors and performers. 

In  order  to  prioritise  investments  and  reforms,  Member  States  should  reaffirm  the 
target of investing 3% of EU GDP in research and development and update the target 
to reflect new Union priorities, including a new 1.25% EU GDP public effort target to 
be achieved by Member States by 2030 in an EU coordinated manner, to leverage and 
incentivise private investments. Member States should also voluntarily commit 5% of 
national public research and development funding to joint programmes and European 
partnerships  by  2030. Member States lagging  behind  the Union average  for research 
and  development  investment  as  a  percentage  of  GDP  should  direct  their  investment 
efforts to increase their total investment in research and development by 50% over the 
next 5 years. 

(9) 

the  European 
the  ERA  requires  closer  cooperation  between 
Strengthening 
Commission  and  Member  States.  This  can  be  achieved  by  setting  up  a  simplified 
monitoring  and  coordination  system  for  mutual  learning  and  enhanced  bilateral 
dialogue. 

(10)  The coordination of Union and national investments and reforms should be ensured in 
order to strengthen national research and innovation systems and increase their impact 
at Union level: while national research and innovation policies drive the development 
of  national  systems  towards  national  objectives,  they  also  contribute  to  ERA 
objectives and other shared Union priorities in strategic areas of common interest. 

HEREBY RECOMMENDS THAT MEMBER STATES: 

1. 

(1) 

VALUES AND PRINCIPLES FOR RESEARCH AND INNOVATION 

Agree on a common set  of values and principles for research and innovation in the 
Union  as  set  out  below,  and  apply  them  in  their  internal  research  and  innovation 
systems, in close collaboration with stakeholders. These values and principles should 
also be promoted by the Member States and the Union in their interactions with third 
countries  in  order  to  achieve  a  level  playing  field  and  common  framework 
conditions. 

Upholding values  

(a)  Ethics  and  integrity  of  research  and  innovation:  researchers,  research 
processes and the research and  innovation system overall should comply with 
strict  ethics  and  integrity  rules  and  practices,  which  are  the  foundation  of 
responsible and trustworthy research free from undue influence, a prerequisite 
for  achieving  excellence,  and  underpin  the  responsibility  of  researchers  to 
guard against biases and methodological shortcuts;  

(b)  Freedom of scientific research: as part of a research culture that is inherent to 
the  ERA,  and  a  necessary  condition  for  researchers  to  freely  define  their 

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research questions, theories and methods in an open and secure manner and to 
produce, share and disseminate knowledge, data and other results;  

(c)  Gender  equality  and  equal  opportunities:  encompassing  gender  balance  in 
research  teams  at  all  levels,  gender  balance  in  decision-making,  and  the 
integration of the gender dimension in the content of research and innovation, 
and    taking  account  of  diversity  in  the  broader  sense,  including,  inter  alia, 
gender,  ethnic,  and  social  diversity,  people  with  disabilities  and  combating 
discrimination on all grounds;  

Working better  

(d)  Free  circulation:  of  researchers  and  support  staff,  scientific  knowledge  and 
technology; this involves sharing scientific knowledge, data and tools as early 
as possible, notably through open science practices, attractive and merit-based 
careers,  recognition  of  researchers’  and  technical  staff’s  skills,  enhancing 
framework  conditions  for  researchers’  mobility  and  encouraging  exchanges 
between  academia  and  industry  (as  well  as  other  sectors)  and  diffusing 
innovation  and  open  access 
technology 
infrastructures and their services;  

infrastructures, 

research 

to 

(e)  Pursuit  of  excellence:  meaning  the  commitment  to  programme,  perform  or 
support research of the highest possible quality, with the aim of achieving and 
rewarding excellence as  a prerequisite for scientific, technological,  economic, 
policy  and  societal  impact  and  expanding  Europe’s  overall  knowledge  base. 
This  implies  that  public  support  for  research  and  innovation  should  aim  to 
select and fund high quality ideas – quality implies that the research is world-
class,  produces  open,  verifiable  and  reproducible  results  and  is  carried  out 
through  transparent  research  processes  and  methodologies  and  through 
research management which allows systematic re-use of previous results. The 
research assessment system – for research, researchers, teams and institutions – 
should  comply  with  this  principle  and  reward  quality  accordingly;  public 
support  should  strike  the  right  balance  between  ‘curiosity-driven’  and 
‘mission-oriented’ research;  

(f)  Value  creation:  this  means  increasing  the  impact  of  research  and  innovation 
by  transforming  Europe’s  leadership  in  knowledge  creation  into  relevant  and 
sustainable  products,  services,  processes  and  solutions  that  support  the 
wellbeing  of  citizens,  economic  prosperity,  open  innovation,  evidence-based 
policymaking  and  open  strategic  autonomy;  this  involves,  inter  alia,  working 
across  different  policies,  encouraging  a  stronger  interconnection  between 
actors  in  multi-disciplinary  and  cross-sectorial  collaboration  and  promoting 
investigator-driven  basic  research  and  its  role  in  generating  breakthrough 
discoveries and developing a broad knowledge base;  

Working together  

(g)  Coordination, coherence and commitment:  where Member States bring the 
European dimension into national research and innovation policies and ensure 
national buy-in and commitment to the successful implementation of the ERA 
priorities.  Member  States,  with  the  Union’s  assistance,  coordinate  their 
research and innovation policies and programmes in areas of common interest, 
including  by  ensuring  complementarity  with  the  EU  framework  programmes 
for  research  and  innovation,  thereby  facilitating  transnational  cooperation  in 

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the ERA, and direct research and innovation investments and reforms towards 
achieving the ERA and speed up the green and digital transition;  

(h)  Global  outreach:  Member States engage in  mutually beneficial  collaboration 
and  joint  activities  on  research  and  innovation  with  partners  from  third 
countries  and  regions,  based  upon  the  Union’s  values  and  the  principles  laid 
out  in  the  present  Pact,  in  the  UN  Sustainable  Development  Goals  and  other 
pertinent international instruments;  

(i) 

(j) 

Inclusiveness: Member States should strive to develop the full potential of the 
ERA  in  order  to  be  competitive  at  global  level;  accordingly,  less  performing 
Member  States  and  regions  should  step  up  their  efforts  to  increase  the 
performance  and  size  of  their  research  and  innovation  systems  and  develop 
their  capacities,  both  human  and  infrastructural,  including  by  ensuring 
synergies  between  their  national  funding  and  Union  funds.  Efforts  should  be 
supported  at  the  Union  level  to  connect  research  and  innovation  performers 
from  less  performing  regions  with  excellent  European  networks  across  the 
Union;  

Societal responsibility: striving to be responsive to society’s needs to expand 
collective capacities and achieve greater societal impact and to increase trust in 
science  and  innovation  by  engaging  stakeholders,  local  communities,  and 
citizens  in  the design  and implementation  of research and innovation  policies 
and  by  ensuring  that  policies  are  agile  and  able  to  adjust  to  unexpected 
challenges.  

2. 

(2) 

PRIORITY AREAS FOR JOINT ACTION  

Agree on the following priority areas for joint action in support of the ERA, on the 
basis  of  which  the  actions  in  the  ERA  policy  agenda  will  be  designed  and  agreed 
between the Commission and the Member States. These actions should ensure close 
alignment  with  and  appropriate  support  for  the  commonly  agreed  values  and 
principles  for  research  and  innovation  in  the  Union,  as  referred  to  in  the  present 
recommendation:  

Deepening a truly functioning internal market for knowledge  

(a)  Open science: Support a true open science culture across the Union, including 
mainstreaming open access to scholarly publications and research data5 and the 
diffusion  and  uptake  of  open  science  principles  and  practices,  whilst 
considering  disciplinary  and  cultural  differences,  including  multilingualism, 
supporting the development of open science skills, and further developing and 
integrating the underpinning digital infrastructure and services;  

(b)  Research  infrastructures:  Develop  further  the  open  access  to,  and  better 
exploitation  of,  European  and  national  research  infrastructures,  including  e-
infrastructures,  their  integrative  function  in  the  knowledge  and  innovation 
ecosystem  and  their  potential  in  forming  partnerships  and  pooling  resources 
and  connection  to  the  European  Open  Science  Cloud.  Doing  so  will  help 
European  science  compete  globally,  contribute  to    narrow  the  research  and 
innovation gap and foster inclusiveness in the ERA; this will require, inter alia, 

5 

i.e. following the “as open as possible, as closed as necessary” principle 

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employing  a  broader  range  of  funding  sources  for  world-leading  research 
infrastructures  and  exploring  novel  ways  of  funding  transnational  and  virtual 
access;  

(c)  Gender  equality,  equal  opportunities  and  inclusiveness:  Support  women’s 
wider  participation  in  science  and  innovation  and  work  to  remove  inequities 
regardless of gender, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or 
sexual orientation;  

(d)  Careers and mobility of researchers and research assessment and reward 
system:  Give  greater  recognition  to  researchers’  careers,  make  their  careers 
more attractive and equip them with the training and skills required to meet the 
changing  needs  of  the  researcher  role  across  the  Union;  building-upon  and 
instrumental  programmes  such  as  Marie-
ensuring  consistency  with 
Skłodowska-Curie Actions, this will be achieved by creating stable, attractive, 
inclusive, supportive and transparent working and employment conditions and 
by  providing  clear,  well-known  career  paths  and  guidance  to  make  informed 
career choices; boost the balanced circulation of researchers across the Union 
as  well  as  across  sectors  and  public  administrations;  increase  attractiveness 
towards  talents  from  the  world.  Further  develop  current  research  assessment 
systems  for  research,  researchers,  teams  and  institutions,  to  reward  quality, 
impact,  open  science  practices,  leadership  and  engagement  with  society  and 
collaboration  with  industry;  consider  a  wide  range  of  research  outputs  and 
activities  and  allow  for  diverse  career  paths.  Reward  systems  should  pay  due 
attention  to  ensuring  transparency,  avoid  bias,  discrimination  and  unfair 
treatment.  This  should  be  made  transparent  through  the  use  of  adequate 
indicators; 

(e)  Knowledge  Valorisation:  Increase  cooperation  and  interlinkages  between 
research and innovation actors, including those not currently active, and better 
coordinate policies and  programmes  at  European, national  and regional  level, 
notably  through  frameworks  for  knowledge  valorisation,  uptake  of  research 
results, upskilling and intellectual asset management;  

(f)  Global  engagement:  Develop  a  coherent  global  engagement  strategy  and 
common tools, promoting shared European values  and principles for research 
and  innovation  in  terms  of  international  cooperation  and  capitalising  on  the 
attractiveness of European research; ensure Europe’s scientific and innovation 
strategic autonomy while preserving an open economy; promote a level playing 
field and reciprocity underpinned by fundamental values; enhance research and 
innovation  partnerships  and  strengthen  collaboration  with  third  countries  and 
regional organisations.  

Taking  up  together  the  challenges  posed  by  the  twin  green  and  digital  transition,  and 
increasing society’s participation in the ERA  

(g)  Challenge-based  ERA  actions:  where  the  Commission  and  Member  States, 
including their regions, cities and municipalities, work more closely together in 
order to drive the design and implementation of more resilient and sustainable 
sectoral policies to foster research and innovation based solutions and mitigate 
potential threats; these actions can encompass various collaborative forms such 
as Horizon Europe Missions, European partnerships including EIT Knowledge 
and  Innovation  Communities  (EIT  KICs),  joint  programming  initiatives, 
support for multilateral alliances and others and could be set up to address new 

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and persistent challenges such as climate change, energy and digital transitions, 
migration,  pollution  by  plastics,  cancer  or  public  health  threats;  these  actions 
should  build  on  the  contribution  of  the  full  spectrum  of  disciplines,  allowing 
the  challenges  to  be  addressed  comprehensively;  they  can  draw  from 
experiences  of  existing  coordination  initiatives  such  as  the  Strategic  Energy 
Technology Plan (SET Plan) and the example of the ERAvsCorona initiative, 
which  has  shown  the  importance  of  leveraging  combined  strength  through 
close  coordination,  co-design,  cooperation,  data  sharing  and  joint  funding 
between  the  Union,  the  Member  States  and  Associated  Countries  to  quickly 
advance in an answer to a common goal;  

(h)  Synergies between research and innovation policy, education and the EU 
Skills Agenda: Research and innovation and (higher) education are key drivers 
of  innovation,  knowledge  creation,  diffusion  and  use.  Actions  are  required  to 
develop  and  exploit  synergies  between  the  ERA  and  the  European  Higher 
Education  Area  (EHEA),  notably  through  higher  education  institutions  and 
research  infrastructures,  including  e-infrastructures,  as  well  as  the  European 
Institute  of  Innovation  and  Technology  and  their  Knowledge  and  Innovation 
Communities  (EIT  KICs);  to  provide  guidance  and  support  with  relevant 
stakeholders  to  the  transition  of  the  higher  education  system  towards  higher 
cooperation, inclusion, excellence and digitisation, inter alia by supporting the 
further  development  of  the  ‘European  University’  initiative  as  a  testbed  for 
modern,  inclusive  and  future-oriented  higher  education  institutions  in  the 
Union; and to develop and implement initiatives for equipping researchers with 
all  the  skills  required  by  the  labour  market  and  for  upskilling  and  reskilling 
through targeted training;  

(i) 

Synergies between research and innovation policy and industrial policy, in 
order to boost innovation ecosystems: Research and innovation and an agile 
industry are two key drivers of competitiveness  and open strategic autonomy. 
Therefore actions are required to develop and exploit the synergies between the 
ERA  and  the  updated  industrial  strategy6,  notably  through  research  and 
technology  infrastructures,  higher  education  institutions  (HEIs),  Horizon 
Europe  partnerships  including  EIT  KICs,  Industrial  Alliances  and  common 
industrial  technology  roadmaps  (from  basic  research  to  deployment)  in  key 
strategic  areas;  these  actions  should  be  co-developed  with  Member  States, 
industry (including SMEs) and other research and innovation stakeholders and 
should  prioritise  specific  technology  areas  to  help  align  public  and  private 
investments;  

(j)  A more active citizen and societal engagement in research and innovation 
in  all  its  dimensions:  e.g.,  contribution  of  and  capacity  to  benefit  from 
citizens’  views  and  involvement,  will  raise  awareness  of  the  benefits  and 
impact  of  research  and  innovation  in  people’s  daily  lives,  ensure  a  greater 
diversity  of  approaches  for  designing  and  implementing  research  and 
innovation  policy  and  make  R&I  more  relevant  for  society,  in  particular 
making  it  more  acceptable  for  citizens  and  making  new  solutions  more 
affordable;  

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Updating the 2020 New Industrial Strategy: Building a Stronger Single Market for Europe’s Recovery 
(COM2021)350 final). 

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Amplifying access to research and innovation excellence across the Union  

(k)  More    investments  and  reforms  in  countries  and  regions  with  lower 
research  and  innovation  performance:  this  means  mobilising  Union  and 
national  funding  for research  and innovation  investment,  in  combination with 
support  and  assistance  to  engage  in  the  necessary  research  and  innovation 
reforms;  

(l) 

Synergies  between  Union,  national  and  regional  funding  programmes: 
synergies between the Union’s funding programmes and national and regional 
research and innovation funding schemes need to be encouraged and enhanced, 
in particular between Horizon Europe, cohesion policy and the Resilience and 
Recovery Facility;  

(m) 

Increased  collaborative  links  and  excellence-based  integration  of  research-
performing  organisations  from  countries  with  lower  research  and  innovation 
performance into European scientific networks and innovation ecosystems;  

Advancing concerted research and innovation investments and reforms  

3. 

(3) 

(n)  Support  to  prioritise  and  secure  long-term  research  and  innovation 
investments and policy reforms: at all governance levels (Union, national and 
regional),  including  regulatory  sandboxes  and  experimentation  clauses;  their 
design,  implementation  and  assessment  should  go  hand  in  hand  in  order  to 
maximise synergies and impact;  

(o)  Coordination  of  research  and  innovation  investments:  by  supporting  the 
identification and implementation of potential for coordinated investments and 
reforms in order to strengthen the ERA dimension across all governance levels 
in  the  Union  and  maximise  its  impact  for  the  benefit  of  Union’s  science  and 
innovation systems.  

PRIORITISING INVESTMENTS AND REFORMS  

Prioritise  investments  and  reforms  that  address  the  ERA  priorities  and  provide  the 
necessary  conditions  and  support  for  stronger  private  research  and  innovation  
investment at national and regional level by setting realistic, but ambitious Union and 
national voluntary targets for research and development investment:  

(a)  Public  research  and  development  expenditure  and  private  research  and 
innovation investments require an adequate policy and regulatory framework to 
maximise their effectiveness and efficiency and ensure an economic and social 
impact; conversely, reforming the research and innovation policy framework or 
implementing  a 
transformative  agenda  requires  mobilising  appropriate 
resources  (e.g.  funding,  human  resources,  skills,  research  posts)  to  drive 
change and improve the performance and output of the research and innovation 
system;  

(b)  Research and development investment targets not only spur the overall rate of 
increase  of  research  and  development  expenditure  but  also  reflect  more 
qualitative  objectives,  in  terms  of  scientific,  technological,  societal,  or 
industrial orientations; this applies notably to public research and development 
expenditure  supporting  the  ERA  priorities,  including  reforms  of  national 
research  and  innovation  systems,  a  sustainable  and  competitive  economy  and 
the twin transitions;  

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(4) 

Confirm  their  intention  to  raise  the  Union-level  investment  in  research  and 
development in the following manner:  

(a) 

(b) 

(c) 

(d) 

Increase the total expenditure on research and development to 3% of EU GDP 
(‘3% target’);  

Increase  the  total  public  effort  on  research  and  development  to  1.25%  of  EU 
GDP by 2030;  

Increase  the  share  of  national  public  research  and  development  expenditure 
committed  to  joint  programmes,  research  infrastructures  and  European 
Partnerships to 5% of national public R&D funding by 2030;  

a 50% increase in total research and development expenditure over the next 5 
years  for  Member  States  lagging  behind  the  EU  average  research  and 
development expenditure as a percentage of GDP.  

(5) 

Establish,  on a voluntary basis, national investment targets for the:  

4. 

(6) 

(a) 

intended public effort in research and development, expressed as a percentage 
of GDP;  

(b)  percentage of national public research and development expenditure committed 
to joint programmes, research infrastructures and European Partnerships;  

(c) 

expected  increase  in  total  research  and  development  expenditure,  for  those 
Member  States  lagging  behind  the  EU  average  research  and  development 
expenditure as a percentage of GDP.  

POLICY COORDINATION  

Implement an enhanced monitoring and coordination mechanism, to ensure progress 
towards the ERA priorities. This requires the following:  

(a)  Union-level  coordination  and  support,  from  the  strategic  planning  and  design 
stages to the implementation and monitoring stages, through a range of simpler 
and less burdensome policy tools and processes:  

– 

– 

– 

– 

A  common  ERA  policy  agenda,  which  sets  out  the  jointly  agreed  ERA 
actions to be implemented in a coordinated manner, in support of the common 
principles for research and innovation and ERA priorities set out  in this Pact. 
The  ERA  policy  agenda  should  be  clear  and  actionable,  defining  and 
describing each action with a view to its implementation (at the Union and/or 
national level); 

A  dedicated  ERA  policy  online  platform  for  reporting  on  (i)  the 
implementation  of the ERA policy agenda (at  Union  level  and national  level) 
and on  (ii) other investments,  reforms and activities supporting the principles 
and ERA priority areas set out in this Pact; 

An ERA scoreboard, which monitors progress towards the ERA objectives at 
national  and  Union level,  through a combination  of indicators and qualitative 
analyses related to the ERA priorities. The ERA scoreboard should be regularly 
updated; 

Regular policy dialogues between the Member States and the Commission 
–  both  bilaterally  and  multilaterally  –  to  support  the  implementation  of  the 
ERA policy agenda, notably through the sharing of best  practices and mutual 

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learning  exercises,  take  place  in  the  ERA  Forum  for  Transition.  The 
Commission  will provide further support through the Horizon Policy Support 
Facility (PSF) and the Technical Support Instrument (TSI). 

(b) 

Joint agreement of the Commission and the Member States on a common ERA 
policy  agenda,  informed  by  the  ERA  scoreboard  and  the  strategic  advice 
provided  by  the  European  Research  and  Innovation  Advisory  Committee 
(ERAC),  and  following  appropriate  engagement  with  stakeholders.  The  ERA 
Forum for Transition prepares the draft of the ERA policy agenda.  

(c)  Following  the  agreement  on  the  ERA  policy  agenda,  the  Member  States  and 
the  Commission  share  information  on  their  policies  and  programmes  that 
contribute  to  implementing  the  ERA  policy  agenda,  and  more  broadly 
contribute  to  the  principles  and  priorities  set  out  by  this  Pact.  This  includes 
information about the implementation of current policies and programmes and 
the  planning  of  future  ones,  and  is  shared  through  the  ERA  policy  online 
platform.  

(d)  The  Commission  reviews  the  implementation  of  the  ERA  policy  agenda  at 
national  level  and publishes an annual  report on the state of  play of the ERA 
implementation, including individual reports on the progress of each Member 
State.  This  will  provide  the  basis  for  engaging  in  regular  policy  dialogues 
between Member States and the Commission.  

Done at Brussels, 

For the Council 
The President 

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