An important feature of the future European research programme, the
European Research Council (ERC) aims to promote basic research thanks to
a new funding mechanism. EUA has long advocated such a mechanism to
provide additional funding for basic research and supports the proposal
to establish a European Research Council. In its 2003 statement concerning the establishment of a European Research
Council 
, the Association stresses the importance of the
independence of a future body, the need to secure additional funding and
to include all fields of research in its remit, while warning against
"privileging strong universities in some countries and regions to the
detriment of others where capacity needs to be further developed."
EUA has also played an invited strategic role in providing advice to
the ERC Identification Committee on the profile, criteria for selection
and the appointment of members to the ERC Scientific
Council.
The Association will continue to have a dialogue with this important
body as the ERC is established in order to ensure that the interests of
Europe’s universities are taken into account.