The main objective is to create a specific residence permit for foreign researchers independent of their contractual status (employee, self-employed, “stipendee”). A “hosting agreement” (contract) needs to be signed between the non-EU researcher and an accredited public or private European research organisation, specifying the researcher’s status and his/her possession of the necessary scientific skills and financial means. With respect to the current situation, an acceleration of the entry procedures is expected, no form of migration “quota” will be permitted, family reunification will be facilitated and mobility within European countries will be eased. The new system has already been adopted in Austria, Greece, Slovakia and Slovenia, as well as (although implementing measures are still needed there) in Belgium, Germany and France, and is pending adoption in several other EU countries. This directive doesn’t apply to the United Kingdom and Denmark. The process should be finalised by October 12, 2007, but it now seems unlikely that all EU Member States will have undertaken the necessary measures by this date.

Council Directive 2005/71/EC on a specific procedure for admitting third country nationals for the purposes of scientific research provides for a fast track procedure for the admission of third country researchers. Accredited research organisations will certify the status of the researchers in a “hosting agreement”. Delivery of a residence permit to a researcher will automatically imply the right to work without an “economic needs test” to be carried out.
On the basis of the hosting agreement, the immigration authorities will deliver a residence permit in an accelerated procedure. Once such permit is granted, the researcher will also be free to move within most Member States to carry out the research project. The new system has already been adopted in Austria, Greece, Slovakia and Slovenia, as well as (although implementing measures are still needed there) in Belgium, Germany and France, and is pending adoption in several other EU countries. This directive doesn’t apply to the United Kingdom and Denmark. The process should be finalised by October 12, 2007, but it now seems unlikely that all EU Member States will have undertaken the necessary measures by this date.
The purpose is to contribute to the Lisbon objectives of making Europe the most competitive and knowledge-based economy of the world, by fostering the admission and mobility of third country researchers in order to enhance the Community’s attractiveness for researchers around the world.