Earlier this month, the European Commission announced a comprehensive set of measures in the framework of the European Research Area (ERA). Designed to promote attractive and sustainable research careers, these measures will contribute to the priority action expressed in the ERA Policy Agenda 2022 – 2024.

These initiatives aim at bringing substantial benefits to 2 million researchers across Europe by supporting stable and well-paid employment opportunities. Research talent, including early-career researchers, will be encouraged to stay in Europe while addressing issues of their career precariousness . At the same time, efforts will be made to position Europe as an enticing destination for international talent, further bolstering its attractiveness on the global stage.

The set of measures includes:

• A proposal for a Council Recommendation that establishes a new European framework for research careers;
• A new Charter for Researchers, replacing the 2005 Charter and Code for Researchers with new and revised principles;
• The European Competence Framework for Researchers (ResearchComp), to support inter-sectoral mobility of researchers.

More information is available here.

The European Commission and New Zealand have signed the association agreement on the participation of New Zealand to Horizon Europe, the EU's research, and innovation programme. Researchers and organisations in New Zealand will now be able to participate in Pillar II of the programme on equal terms with entities from the EU Member States. They will have access to Horizon Europe funding and networks of researchers in Europe and beyond aimed to tackle global challenges. Pillar II is the programme's most relevant and biggest collaborative part, focused primarily on shared global challenges in climate, energy, mobility, digital, industry and space, health, and more. 

Strengthened collaboration with New Zealand contributes to Europe's global approach to cooperation in research and innovation in an increasingly changing and volatile world. The Horizon Europe programme introduced a major redesign of the approach towards international cooperation in research and innovation, providing for the first time opportunities of association to like-minded countries with strong science, innovation and technology profiles, beyond the EU's geographic proximity . Formal negotiations to join Horizon Europe are currently ongoing with Canada, and  negotiations with the Republic of Korea  have recently launched. Exploratory talks with Japan closed in September 2022 and technical discussions are ongoing.

More information is available here.