Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

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| ROADMAP | |
| Roadmaps aim to inform citizens and stakeholders about the Commission's work in order to allow them to provide feedback and to participate effectively in future consultation activities. Citizens and stakeholders are in particular invited to provide views on the Commission's understanding of the problem and possible solutions and to make available any relevant information that they may have. | |
| Title of the initiative | Communication on the future of research and innovation and the European Research Area |
| Lead DG – responsible unit | DG Research and Innovation- Units A1, G1 |
| Likely Type of initiative | Commission communication |
| Indicative Planning | Q3 2020 |
| Additional Information | https://ec.europa.eu/info/research-and-innovation/strategy/era\_en#eraprogress |
| This Roadmap is provided for information purposes only and its content might change. It does not prejudge the final decision of the Commission on whether this initiative will be pursued or on its final content. All elements of the initiative described by the Roadmap, including its timing, are subject to change. | |

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| A. Context, Problem definition and Subsidiarity Check |
| Context [max 10 lines] |
| The European Research Area (ERA) aims to strengthen the foundations, quality and impact of the research and innovation system in the EU and in Member States. Research and innovation must play a key role enabling in a systemic manner the ecological and digital transitions Europe has to cope with their economic and social impacts. The Communication may also need to address coordination of research related to public health, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.  It therefore contributes to the achievement of the Commission’s headline ambitions.  In its conclusions on ERA governance of November 2018, the Competitiveness Council invited the Commission to produce a new ERA communication by mid-2020. Furthermore, in Commissioner Gabriel’s mission letter, President von der Leyen explicitly requested her “to work with Member States to build a true European Research Area in which we pull together all national and European efforts”. . The Communication will therefore contribute to providing the conditions and setting the direction for Member States and the Union to the delivery on their research, innovation and investment agendas. The Communication is included in the Commission’s Work Programme (Annex I “a Europe Fit for the Digital Age) and it follows the Policy Objective ‘Towards a European Research Area’. |
| Problem the initiative aims to tackle [max 25 lines] |
| Europe’s ambition is to continue increasing the well-being and prosperity of all its citizens, by turning the imperative of sustainable development into new economic and social opportunities while staying well within planetary boundaries. In the face of fast and often disruptive technological change, mounting resource scarcity and societal and territorial inequalities, only countries that shape and ride the new technological opportunities will lead the future. Europe must deliver on the sustainability agenda and address issues such as the geography of discontent, the future of work, polarisation of the labour market (robotics, AI and automation are rapidly redefining jobs) or the risks related to emerging technologies. Research and innovation must play a key role enabling in a systemic manner the ecological, social and economic transitions Europe has to face. Yet, in recent years, we have seen progress towards ERA slowing down for a number of different reasons, such as ERA relying on non-binding implementation instruments (eg. ERA-roadmaps), or the successive enlargements that have significantly diversified the R&I landscape and created new needs (such as widening participation). Also, the context in which we operate has changed dramatically: the growing importance of digitalisation, the changes in the geopolitical landscape, the decreased trust in experts and science, the urgency of climate change action, triggering the adoption by the new Commission of a new paradigm in its strategic thinking: the Green Deal as our economic strategy for the future. |
| Basis for EU intervention (legal basis and subsidiarity check) [max 10 lines] |
| Article 179 TFEU establishes the objective for the Union of achieving a European Research Area. The proposed initiative will help combine EU and national research and innovation investment instruments with smarter and more responsive EU regulation; it will also help to promote national reforms to support the transition of the economy, society, and planet into a sustainable future. Existing evidence shows that sustainable agendas have become a priority for many countries. Action at EU level will prove to be crucial in supporting the development of coherent national agendas providing added value in realising critical mass and efficient allocation of resources. |
| B. What does the initiative aim to achieve and how [max 25 lines] |
| The initiative aims to revitalise the European Research Area by providing it with a new vision, consisting in a transformative R&I policy that shapes technological and societal change to deliver a sustainable European society. It will establish clear objectives for the ERA and include specific actions to be carried out at EU level but also together with the Member States. |
| C. Better regulation |
| Consultation of citizens and stakeholders [max 10 lines] |
| N/A, Broad policy Communication |
| Evidence base and data collection [max 10 lines] |
| The Communication is a policy document and, as such, does not require an impact assessment. It will be accompanied by a staff working document that provides quantitative and qualitative information, both on the ERA and its accomplishments and shortcomings over the past 20 years, and on the objectives proposed to achieve the new transformative vision for ERA. |

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