The EU in search of talent awaits the end of 2026 for the European Research Area strategy

Brussels – A.A.A. Researchers wanted. However, European market reform can wait. The European Commission has no plans to prepare a useful strategy for the twin green and technological transition, the all-new priority of defense, and the strategic interest of attracting US talent not retained by the Trump administration before the end of next year. That’s right: despite a growing need for research, “a legislative proposal for a European Research Area Act is expected in the third quarter of 2026,” admits Research Commissioner Ekaterina Zaharieva in response to a parliamentary question.

The Commissioner reveals that the reform proposal “include measures to further strengthen researchers’ careers and mobility, including the freedom of scientific research, thereby enhancing Europe’s attractiveness for researchers.” Still, it is expected at the end of 2026, with a legislative process that risks not making the ‘new Europe’ of research possible before 2027. Of course, the plan is to proceed with regulatory and procedural simplification in this sector. However, the timetable the EU executive has given itself seems to betray that sense of urgency for a strategic area for innovation, competitiveness, and security.

The EU isn’t exactly sitting idle. Zaharieva recalls that already now the Europea Research Area Talent Platform  “as a one-stop-shop for researchers ensures the visibility of the attractive environment of European careers, and a Research and Innovation Careers Observatory (ReICO) will “provide, starting in mid-2025,” data from EU member states and Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries on research careers to support additional evidence-based policies.