At the European Research Area (ERA) Action #18 meeting on Research Ethics and Integrity, held on 12–13 March 2026 at the European Commission in Brussels, the CHANGER project presented its work on building a future‑ready ethics review model for Europe’s evolving research landscape.

The meeting brought together national contact points and key stakeholder organisations, offering an ideal forum to discuss how ethics governance must adapt to emerging technologies, new research formats and new players in research.

Dr Vasiliki Mollaki, coordinator of the CHANGER project, introduced the CHANGER Toolkit, a set of interconnected components produced by the project, designed to help institutions operationalise ethics reviews that are both rigorous and adaptive, while providing support to researchers through tools to address the growing complexity of ethical issues arising in research. Among others, the CHANGER toolkit provides practical ethics guidance, assessment instruments, and capacity‑building resources. Its focus on adaptability is central: instead of treating ethics review as a static procedure, the toolkit supports dynamic evaluation processes that can respond to new risks, new technologies, and new research practices.

The discussion at the meeting highlighted how the CHANGER approach aligns with the broader objectives of the European Research Area, particularly the need for harmonised, high‑quality ethics frameworks across Member States. By offering a structured yet flexible model, the CHANGER toolkit has the potential to be:

• integrated into a European ethics and integrity toolbox repository
• used as a model for adaptive ethics review practices across Member States, and be further expanded by other initiatives
• used as part of a Seal of Ethics and Integrity for institutions with exemplary research practices
• used as part of a harmonised approach to facilitate the sector’s response to emerging challenges and strengthen cross‑border consistency in ethics assessments

Its emphasis on practical implementation rather than abstract principles, positions CHANGER as a valuable resource for institutions seeking to modernise their ethics governance in response to the changing research environment. As ERA Action #18 continues to advance policy coordination on research ethics and integrity, the CHANGER project stands to play a meaningful role in shaping how ethics review evolves across Europe.