ERA body stresses voluntary nature of national actions

European Research Area committee says governments need not take actions such as reforming research careers

An R&D advisory body has stressed that EU member states can choose not to enact the bloc’s new priority actions for its European Research Area policy package, underscoring fears from the sector that real commitments will not be forthcoming.

“It must be emphasised that…the participation of member states in the implementation of the ERA Policy Agenda is of voluntary nature,” the European Research Area and Innovation Committee (Erac) said in an opinion paper published on 2 June.