Four MEPs from the centre-right European People's Party have asked the European Commission to outline concrete steps to establish a fifth freedom of movement in the single market covering research, innovation, data and knowledge, warning that the EU's competitiveness is slipping. In a written parliamentary question submitted on 29 May 2026, lead MEP Lídia Pereira and colleagues Sebastião Bugalho, Paulo Cunha and Paulo do Nascimento Cabral argue that two years after the Letta report proposed the idea, no integrated strategy exists to free up the movement of researchers, knowledge and data across borders.
The question targets three specific asks. First, the MEPs want to know what legislative or non-legislative initiatives the Commission plans to formally enshrine the fifth freedom, and on what timeline. Second, they ask whether the Commission envisages setting up a European grant for deep tech with rules tailored to risk finance. Third, they propose a European Joint Knowledge Centre – a centralised digital platform giving access to publicly funded research, data and educational resources, as recommended in the Letta report.
the EU's share of global patents is falling, and 90% of public investment in research and innovation remains national and focused on domestic priorities. They note that the idea of a fifth freedom dates back to Jacques Delors in 1989 and was revived by former Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta in his April 2024 report 'Much More Than a Market'. Despite subsequent initiatives such as Choose Europe for Science and the European Health Data Space, the MEPs say there is still no overarching strategy.
Policy direction and expected follow-up The question signals a push from the centre-right to accelerate EU-level action on research mobility and data sharing, with an emphasis on deep-tech funding and a common knowledge infrastructure. The Commission is expected to reply within roughly six weeks; its answer will indicate whether it plans to propose legislation or rely on non-binding measures, and whether it shares the MEPs' sense of urgency on reversing the patent decline.
Stakeholder impacts If pursued, the fifth freedom could benefit researchers and universities by reducing administrative barriers to cross-border collaboration. Deep-tech startups would gain from a dedicated European grant with risk-tolerant rules. EU taxpayers and public research funders could see better returns if a Joint Knowledge Centre reduces duplication of publicly funded research. However, national research agencies and governments may resist ceding control over their domestic R&D priorities, and some business sectors could face increased competition for talent and data.
← Atlas › News › Industry, Innovation and Internal Market