Strong support for more investment to reach EU R&D target 3% of GDP in ERA Act

Organisations in the research field, ranging from universities to NGOs, back increasing investment in R&D, according to responses to a call for evidence by the European Commission on a planned European Research Area (ERA) Act. But opinions vary on how to achieve this.

An analysis written in December 2025 by the Commission on submissions to its call for evidence revealed "a strong consensus on the need for increased and sustained investment, yet divergent views on the methods to achieve this, particularly regarding the balance between public and private funding and the role of legal frameworks".

Some stakeholders from Belgium, Germany and Portugal called for legally binding commitments to achieve the 3% target, while other NGOs in Belgium are calling for scoreboard to monitor national performance and to make it easier to see the progress made. To attract private capital, particularly in clinical trials, the stakeholders recommend co-financing and risk-sharing models. The organisation are also calling for a simplification of grant application processes.

The ERA Act, which the…