LIBER Libraries Call for Action: Public Consultation ERA-Act

The European Commission launched a public consultation in the preparation of the European Research Area Act (ERA Act). The purpose of the public consultation is to collect feedback on the key challenges that the ERA Act aims to address and on potential solutions to tackle them by means of EU-level legislation.

Access the consultation: European Research Area Act

We call on our community to urge their research institutes to fill in the ERA Act questionnaire by the deadline of 23 January. IFLA, SPARC Europe, and LIBER collaboratively prepared an overview with key points to support your response. The more responses from the library community, the better: your input counts! View the key points and suggested summaries here.

What is the ERA Act?

The ERA Act aims at supporting a research and development ecosystem that ensures the ‘fifth freedom’, the free circulation of researchers, scientific knowledge and technology in the EU’s single market through the uniform application of rules and the enforcement of EU policies to create a level playing field for researchers and innovators across the Member States. The ERA Act aims to do this by tackling obstacles to this fifth freedom, that hinder the efficiency and performance of the European R&I ecosystem, such as fragmented regulatory frameworks, disparities in research and development investment, and barriers to knowledge sharing and cooperation. The ERA Act is closely linked to other initiatives, in particular the proposal for a European Innovation Act.

LIBER’s concern

LIBER consistently and strongly advocates for free circulation of knowledge as a prerequisite for scientific advancement, social cohesion, economic growth, and innovation across the European Union. As a member organisation, we experience the diverse challenges that researchers face in the digitally driven information landscape. Technology protection measures, while they have their use regulated, do not allow the performance of easy and automated access to information resources for research purposes.

More information

• ERA Act: ERA ACT | European Research Area Platform
• ERA Act builds on Enrico Letta’s and Mario Draghi’s 2024 reports
• LIBER’s earlier responses to the Call for Evidence on the ERA Act (Feedback from: LIBER – Association of European Research Libraries) and European Innovation Act (LIBER’s Response – Call for Evidence European Innovation Act – LIBER Europe).
• Knowledge Rights 21: Knowledge Rights 21 – 21st Century Access to Culture, Learning & Research