Ricerca Internazionale

In the European Council conclusions of 4 February 2011, the Heads of State and Government endorsed Europe 2020's Innovation Union flagship initiative. In particular, the European Council concluded that: "Europe needs a unified research area to attract talent and investment. Remaining gaps must therefore be addressed rapidly and the European Research Area completed by 2014 to create a genuine single market for knowledge, research and innovation."

This constitutes an endorsement of Innovation Union commitment No. 4, in which the Commission announced that it will propose in 2012 a European Research Area (ERA) Framework to support measures to remove obstacles to mobility and cross-border co-operation.

The consultation, which will be launched on 13 September by an ERAC Stakeholders' Seminar, aims to reinforce the Commission analysis of the key issues which should be addressed as priorities when developing ERA. This public consultation therefore aims at gathering from stakeholders, views and evidence on the key obstacles which have to be tackled to achieve a well-functioning ERA. Completing ERA will require the support and effort of all Member States and Associated Countries and their research stakeholders.

The consultation will be open until 30 November 2011 at: http://ec.europa.eu/research/consultations/era/consultation_en.htm

A summary of results will be published on the consultation web site, and it will be presented and discussed at a wrap up event with stakeholders in January 2012.
The ERAC Stakeholders' Seminar on 13 September can be followed via webstreaming : http://scic.ec.europa.eu/str/index.php?sessionno=2417dc8af8570f274e6775d4d60496da