Language and cultural barriers as well as fragmented information on available career opportunities are currently hindering researchers' mobility in Europe, said Science and Research Commissioner Janez Potočnik at the launch of 'EurAxess' on 24 June.
EurAxess is a new web portal which aims to facilitate researchers' access to information on their mobility options and help them pursue a career in Europe. It provides a single access point for job offers, assistance for professional stays in a foreign country, information on the rights and duties of researchers and their employers as well as access to a network of European researchers working outside Europe.
It thus regroups four existing EU initiatives to promote researchers' mobility and career development: the European Researchers' Mobility Portal, the ERA-MORE Network, the European Charter & Code for researchers and their recruitment and the ERA-Link.
Improving employment and career prospects for researchers is part of the EU's strategy to fight the 'brain drain' to the US and enhance the EU's competitiveness so that it can meet the core aims of the Lisbon agenda for growth and jobs.
According to Potočnik, EurAxess - a pan-European initiative by 35 European countries - aims to give a boost to the EU's ambition to create the so-called "fifth freedom" for free movement of knowledge and is expected to overcome many of the current barriers to researchers' mobility. However, member states are responsible for making the fifth freedom a reality.
Recent EU-wide statistics show that despite repeated political commitments and numerous Commission initiatives to create favourable conditions, mobility of scientists remains limited in the EU and member states' ability to attract foreign researchers varies widely.
As part of the relaunched European Research Initiative (ERA), the Commission last month adopted a Communication on creating better careers and more mobility for researchers. Among the EU executive's proposals was the creation of pan-EU pension schemes targeted at researchers.
