Celebrating 25 Years of the European Research Area (ERA)

Celebrating 25 years of the European Research Area (ERA)!

For a quarter of a century, the ERA has been driving collaboration, innovation, and scientific excellence across Europe.

2025 marks a significant milestone: 25 years since the launch of the European Research Area (ERA). Since its inception in 2000, ERA has played a transformative role in building a unified and competitive research and innovation landscape across Europe.

The ERA’s vision was bold: to create a single market for research where researchers, scientific knowledge, and technology can circulate freely. Over the past 25 years, it has driven strategic collaboration between EU Member States and strengthened Europe’s global position in science and innovation.

From joint research infrastructures to coordinated funding programmes and open science policies, ERA has facilitated cross-border collaboration and tackled major societal challenges. It has also promoted gender equality, researcher mobility, and better career development through instruments like EURAXESS and the European Charter for Researchers.

Looking ahead, the renewed ERA is focused on the green and digital transitions, open science, and improving research careers. The upcoming ERA Policy Agenda continues this ambition, setting out concrete actions to ensure Europe remains a global leader in science, technology, and innovation.

Twenty-five years on, the ERA is more relevant than ever. In an increasingly complex world, its mission—to strengthen cooperation, excellence, and impact—remains essential for building a resilient, inclusive, and forward-looking Europe.

🔗 For more information about the European Research Area (ERA), visit: https://european-research-area.ec.europa.eu/