Is Europe Evolving Toward an Integrated Research Area?

Despite efforts to integrate across borders, Europe remains a collection of national innovation systems. Efforts toward European research and development (R&D) integration have a long history, intensifying with the Fifth Framework Programme (FP) in 1998 ( 1 – 3 ) and the launch of the European Research Area (ERA) initiative at the Lisbon European Council in 2000. A key component of the European Union (EU) strategy for innovation and growth ( 4 , 5 ), the ERA aims to overcome national borders through directed funding, increased mobility, and streamlined innovation policies.