Advanced research and knowledge-based innovation are keys to develop sustainable and globally competitive high-tech industry in high-cost Europe. Early access to front-line research results demands recruitment of, and collaboration between, world-class researchers. Reduction of legal and practical barriers to transnational mobility is then imperative. Interdisciplinary, intersectorial and geographical mobility must be facilitated by providing key practical information and qualified hands-on assistance to mobile researchers within a European Research Area (ERA) open to the world – in line with the Lisbon Agenda (2000), the Researchers’ Charter & Code (2005), Scientific VISA (2005), the ERA Green Paper (2007), the Ljubljana process (2008), the Europe 2020 Strategy (2009), the Europe 2020 Flagship Initiative – Innovation Union (2010), and the process towards the new Common Strategic Framework (2011).The EURAXESS network is a pan-European initiative in 37 countries with national web portals and over 200 Service Centers (ESCs) and Local Contact Points (LoCPs) at research institutions, established to facilitate researcher mobility by providing key practical information and qualified hands-on assistance to mobile researchers.In EURAXESS TOP2, which builds from EURAXESS TOP and other related EU- projects, key people from 17 Partners and 13 Associate Partners join forces to enhance the overall performance, quality, effectiveness and coherence of the information and services delivered by the network by exchange of best practices achieved over the years, training sessions and updating of portals.The interlinked Work Packages and Tasks include Charter & Code, Social Security & Pensions, Open Recruitment, Industry/Innovation, Skills, Portals, Capacity Building, Electronic Handbook updating, Promotion, and Strategic Dialogue with key stakeholders. Expected impacts: improved services + enhanced recruitment and mobility of researchers.