Eurodoc, ICoRSA, Young Academy Europe and MCAA welcome the EU Visa Strategy as a key instrument for the implementation of the European Research Area (ERA) Act, while calling for greater alignment with Council Recommendation of 18 December 2023 applied in practice.
The statement highlights that clear, transparent, and predictable visa procedures are essential for European institutions to attract and retain international talent. The organisations specifically call for simplified and harmonised visa pathways, including long-stay visas, cross-border mobility provisions for Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) and ERC grant holders, and facilitated procedures for researchers’ families.
A central concern is the fragmentation of existing policy instruments. The statement draws attention to overlaps and inconsistencies between the EU Visa Strategy, the ERA Act, the EU Blue Card Directive, and the Scientific Visa Directive (EU 2016/801), arguing that greater coherence is needed to remove bureaucratic barriers and strengthen Europe’s position as a global research hub.
The organisations also warn that restrictive measures under Article 25a of the Visa Code must be carefully calibrated to avoid disrupting scientific collaboration with third countries, and that policies must distinguish between different categories of mobility rather than applying uniform restrictions to researchers, students, and business travelers alike.
The joint statement directly links the visa agenda to the 5th Freedom of the ERA Act and to the Council Recommendation of 18 December 2023 on attracting and retaining research talents in Europe, framing accessible visa pathways as a prerequisite, not a complement, to a competitive ERA.
- Click here to read the full statement.
- Click here to learn more about the EU Visa Strategy.
