Partnership for excellence and growth in the ERA

Key points:

The EESC:

• believes that free movement of researchers, scientific knowledge and technology must become the internal market's "fifth freedom";
• considers that completing a unified research area is a constantly-changing process and that the 2014 deadline is over-ambitious;
• welcomes the proposal to build the ERA through a reinforced partnership based on best practices rather than through regulation;
• hopes that an internal group can be set up within the Committee to serve as a reference point for the European institutions during the various assessment, monitoring and decision-making stages involved in completing the ERA.

Other relevant EESC opinions on:

• Innovation
• Research and development

For more information please contact the INT Section Secretariat