Brussels, 22/06/2001 (Agence Europe) - On the initiative of Commissioner Philippe Busquin, the European Commission has adopted a Communication on a "Strategy to encourage mobility within the European Area of Research". The Commission proposes "creating a favourable environment for the mobility of researchers" and thus constitute "a reservoir of qualified researchers" that would help put an end to the well-known phenomenon of the brain-drain as well as attracting foreign researchers to the European Union. This communication also takes account of the difficulties and prospects of the next enlargement.
The Commission proposes creating an Internet portal, linking national sites and the Commission so as to offer a common entry point to available information at the level of countries and the Community. It is also to encourage: - the creation of a mobility centres responsible for helping researchers on all issues of a legal or administrative nature; - the setting up of a network of national mediators to deal with the complaints of researchers.
The other measures contained in this communication concern: (1) methods of recruitment: the Commission wants to encourage Member States, regions and other players in the field of research (universities, research centres, etc.) to take measures better to advertise positions at international level; (2) the quality of the reception: the Commission is to prepare a "Quality Charter" guaranteeing a minimum level of assistance regarding integration into the professional and social environment of the host country, as well as in the field of tax and intellectual property; (3) legal situation: other than taking account of the specific nature of researchers in all texts relating to access to employment and social security, the Commission is to examine the possibility of creating a "card for the Community researcher" of a scientific visa enabling researchers of third countries to enter the Community more easily.
If need be, the Commission will encourage the organisation, in Member States, of inter-ministerial meetings on the difficulties directly concerning the European Area of Research and Researcher mobility. Finally, it is considering creating, with Member States, a scoreboard to serve to monitor implementation of these measures at national and Community level.