Recommendation 2005/762 - Council Recommendation of 12 October 2005 to facilitate the admission of third-country nationals to carry out scientific research in the EC - Main contents

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 289/26

With a view to consolidating and giving structure to European research policy, the Commission considered it necessary in January 2000 to establish the European Research Area as the lynchpin of the Community’s future action in this field.

Endorsing the European Research Area, the Lisbon European Council in March 2000 set the Community the objective of becoming the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world by the year 2010.

The globalisation of the economy calls for greater mobility of researchers, something which was recognised by the sixth framework programme of the European Community (4) when it opened up its programmes further to researchers from outside the European Union.

The number of researchers which the Community will need by 2010 if it is to meet the target set by the Barcelona European Council in March 2002 of investing 3 % of GDP in research is estimated at 700 000. This target is to be met through a series of interlocking measures, such as making scientific careers more attractive to young people, promoting women’s involvement in scientific research, extending the opportunities for training and mobility in research, improving career prospects for researchers in the Community and opening up the Community to third-country nationals who might be admitted for the purposes of research.

Pending the implementation of Council Directive 2005/71/EC of 12 October 2005 on a specific procedure for admitting third-country nationals for the purposes of scientific research (5), this recommendation calls on Member States to facilitate the admission of such individuals already.

Because of the shortage of researchers in the Community and the need to facilitate their admission, steps should be taken to promote access to research posts in the labour market, for example by waiving work permit requirements.

In order to be competitive and attractive at international level, Member States should simplify and speed up their procedures for issuing and renewing visas and residence permits for researchers.

Implementation of this recommendation should not encourage a brain drain from emerging economies or developing countries. Back-up measures aimed at encouraging the integration of researchers in their countries of origin and promoting mobility among researchers should therefore be taken in these cases, as part of the partnership with the countries of origin with a view to establishing a comprehensive migration policy. In this context, Member States should endeavour to establish a balance between the reception of researchers from third countries and the appraisal of the needs of their country of origin in the field of research. In doing so, they should take into account also the personal situation of the researchers, in particular where the person concerned has a contractual relationship with a research organisation in his/her country of origin.

Because matters relating to family reunification are a crucial factor in researchers’ decisions to choose the Community as the location for their...