Position of the Slovak Rectors’ Conference on the Preparation of the ERA Act
The Presidium of the Slovak Rectors’ Conference (SRC) welcomes the intention of the European Commission to submit a legislative initiative aimed at strengthening the European Research Area (European Research Area Act, ERA Act), in accordance with Article 179 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. The ERA Act should focus on removing persistent structural barriers that hinder the full functioning of the ERA. At the same time, it should enhance the competitiveness, resilience, and strategic autonomy of the European Union.
For higher education institutions and universities, it is important that the ERA Act contributes to the creation of a stable, coherent, and long-term sustainable framework for investment in research and innovation. The failure to meet the target of investing 3% of GDP in research and development in some European countries, including the Slovak Republic, as well as the significant disparities among Member States, highlight the need for better coordination of policies and investments at both EU and national levels. The ERA Act can support a realistic, and where necessary differentiated, approach to achieving this target, based on multiannual planning, stable funding, and effective synergies between European and national instruments. However, the need to invest at least 3% of GDP in research and development is urgent.
In the interest of higher education institutions and universities is the improvement of framework conditions for research and for researchers. The ERA Act must strengthen the protection of the core values of the European Research Area, in particular academic freedom and institutional autonomy, place emphasis on research ethics and integrity, and promote gender equality and equal opportunities. Improving the working and career conditions of researchers, increasing the stability of research careers, and removing administrative and legal barriers to mobility are essential for Europe to become an attractive destination for talent.
The ERA Act must play a key role in fulfilling the so-called fifth freedom—the free movement of researchers, scientific knowledge, and technologies—and in bringing research and innovation ecosystems closer together across the European Union. If the ERA Act is designed as an inclusive and ambitious framework, it can significantly contribute to enhancing the quality of European research, strengthening the links between science, innovation, and society, and reinforcing the global position of the European Union and its Member States.
Bratislava, 23 January 2026