3.11.2005 Official Journal of the European Union L 289/15 COUNCIL DIRECTIVE 2005/71/EC of 12 October 2005 on a specific procedure for admitting third-country nationals for the purposes of scientific research THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 63(3)(a) and (4) thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (!), Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee (%), Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions (%) Whereas: 1 With a view to consolidating and giving structure to European research policy, the Commission considered it necessary in January 2000 to establish the European Research Area as the lynchpin of the Community’s future action in this field. Endorsing the European Research Area, the Lisbon European Council in March 2000 set the Community the objective of becoming the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world by 2010. The globalisation of the economy calls for greater mobility of researchers, something which was recognised by the sixth framework programme of the European Community (¥, when it opened up its programmes further to researchers from outside the European Union. Opinion of 12 April 2005 (not yet published in the Official Journal). O] C 120, 20.5.2005, p. 60. O] C 71, 22.3.2005, p. 6. Decision No 1513/2002/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 June 2002 concerning the sixth framework programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities, con- tributing to the creation of the European Research Area and to innovation (2002 to 2006) (O] L 232, 29.8.2002, p. 1). Decision amended by Decision No 786/2004/EC (O] L 138, 30.4.2004, p. 7). ) The number of researchers which the Community will need by 2010 to meet the target set by the Barcelona European Council in March 2002 of 3 % of GDP invested in research is estimated at 700 000. This target is to be met through a series of interlocking measures, such as making scientific careers more attractive to young people, promoting women’s involvement in scientific research, extending the opportunities for training and mobility in research, improving career prospects for researchers in the Community and opening up the Community to third-country nationals who might be admitted for the purposes of research. This Directive is intended to contribute to achieving these goals by fostering the admission and mobility for research purposes of third-country nationals for stays of more than three months, in order to make the Community more attractive to researchers from around the world and to boost its position as an international centre for research. Implementation of this Directive should not encourage a brain drain from emerging or developing countries. Back-up measures to support researchers’ reintegration into their countries of origin as well as the movement of researchers should be taken in partnership with the countries of origin with a view to establishing a comprehensive migration policy. For the achievement of the objectives of the Lisbon process it is also important to foster the mobility within the Union of researchers who are EU citizens, and in particular researchers from the Member States which acceded in 2004, for the purpose of carrying out scientific research. Given the openness imposed by changes in the world economy and the likely requirements to meet the 3 % of GDP target for investment in research, third-country researchers potentially eligible under this Directive should be defined broadly in accordance with their qualifications and the research project which they intend to carry out. As the effort to be made to achieve the said 3 % target largely concerns the private sector, which must therefore recruit more researchers in the years to come, the research organisations potentially eligible under this Directive belong to both the public and private sectors.