to  inconsistencies in assessments and decisions across regulated substances/compounds or  products.  Today’s regulatory ERAs  call for a  systems-based approach  that formulate ERA issues/problems  and associated protection goals holistically; address the cumulative effects of multiple regulated  substances/compounds or products and stressors; analyse upstream and downstream life-cycle  implications; evaluate a range of alternative solutions; involve a broad range of stakeholders; and  use interdisciplinary scientific approaches. This approach would improve the scientific basis for  regulatory ERA and decision-making, create opportunities for new partnerships and enhance  cooperation across regulatory silos 4 .  Considering the broad array of regulatory ERAs performed under different sectoral regulatory  frameworks, there are many commonalities (e.g. hazard assessment, common parameters) for  which a more coherent and harmonised approach would be beneficial when characterising  environmental risks. Also, next generation ERAs should be designed in a manner that facilitate their  integration in EU environmental impact and sustainability assessments, and policy assessments  performed by relevant partners in the context of other regulatory frameworks/policies.  The purpose of  PERA  is to provide an overarching platform that:  With the instigation of PERA, the “virtual centre of excellence” and platform for the ERA  of regulated  substances/compounds or products, as suggested by the Scientific Advice Mechanism (SAM) of the  Group of Chief Scientific Advisors in 2018 for pesticides 5 , will be implemented.  The adoption of a  systems-based approach for next generation ERA will require the  implementation of a portfolio of activities clustered in working areas. Each of these working areas  2  5 https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/5306df12-79b9-11e8-ac6a- 01aa75ed71a1/language-en/format-PDF/source-94583924 4 https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/doi/10.1289/EHP1465 - Overcomes the challenges of a fragmented regulatory/policy landscape.  - Improves efficiency and transparency.  - Promotes and facilitates the sharing of data (including their findability, accessibility,  interoperability and reuse) and expertise, and the establishment of a EU-wide cross- disciplinary network of risk assessors and risk managers (e.g. community of practice);  - Accelerates the development of new/complementary tools and methods, and the uptake of  innovative tools and methods for regulatory ERA;  - Connects relevant partners (e.g. national competent authorities/agencies, EU Member  States, EU Agencies, Commission Services, policy makers, risk managers, risk assessors,  scientific community and civil society) from various sectors, across regulatory silos, and  improves cooperation between these partners;  - Facilitates the transition to next generation, systems-based ERA that addresses new policy  targets and society needs;  Scope and objectives:  Working areas: