The Marie Curie Alumni Association (MCAA) and the European Council of Doctoral Candidates and Junior Researchers (Eurodoc) believe that the upcoming ERA Act is a crucial opportunity to address systemic challenges and make the European Union (EU) an inclusive, fair, and secure environment for researchers. Among these challenges, legal and administrative barriers, such as burdensome visa procedures and the difficulty in recognising scientific career structures, continue to limit researchers’ mobility and work opportunities. These barriers undermine the EU’s attractiveness, despite recent initiatives such as Choose Europe for Science. Addressing them is therefore essential to unlock the full potential of the ERA and ensure that researchers can fully benefit from it, at every career stage and regardless of their origin.