Brussels, 7 April 2005

The European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures today presented the European Commission with its first “List of Opportunities” – 23 concrete examples of some of the new, large scale infrastructures which Europe’s scientific and industrial community will need in the coming decade. European research infrastructures are fundamental to Europe’s scientific excellence and economic performance. Measures to maximise existing research infrastructures and foster the development of new capabilities are included in the Commission’s proposal for a new Framework Programme for Research, creating for the first time an EU-wide approach to this issue.

Congratulating the Forum and its Chairman Hans Chang for the quality of its work and timeliness of this document, Janez Potočnik, European Commissioner for Science and Research said “European Research Infrastructures are a key asset in implementing our vision of a Knowledge Europe. Our new proposal for a research programme looks to increase EU support to research infrastructures. In this competition for excellence, we must adopt a common European approach, and define clear priorities to fund the most important projects over the next 10 to 20 years. I welcome ESFRI’s input in this crucial area”.

Launched in 2002 at the initiative the European Commission, ESFRI supports a coherent approach to policy-making on research infrastructures in Europe, and acts as an incubator for concrete initiatives. The “List of Opportunities” presented today illustrates the strong consensus among Member States and across the European scientific community on the need to adopt a common strategy and identify priority projects regarding Research Infrastructures of European interest to meet the needs of the scientific community over the next 20 years.

With their unique scientific, technological and human capacities, these major instruments, installations and facilities provide world class research services to EU scientists across national borders in a wide spectrum of areas such as nanotechnologies, astronomy, material science, supercomputing, and biomedical research. Appropriate and effective research infrastructures can give European science a competitive edge across the spectrum of science and research.

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Following an intensive consultation of all interested groups (national authorities, scientific bodies, industrial partners, infrastructure operators, etc), ESFRI has identified a first list of priority projects, of European and international dimension, which could be funded in the future through various financing mechanisms in the EU. This first list of examples, published today, aims at assisting the Commission in the preparation of the Seventh Framework Programme, and at stimulating reflections among the scientific community on future priorities in that field.

In a second stage, building on this initial work, ESFRI will develop a “road map” defining the vision and setting out guidelines for the new generation of large scale research infrastructures of European interest due to come on stream over the next twenty years.

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For additional information on European Research Infrastructures, please see:

For additional information on ESFRI and on the European Research Infrastructures “List of Opportunities”, please see:

or

Research infrastructures: “List of opportunities” presented to European Commission Action.do?reference=MEMO/05/115&format=H TML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

EU research – Building Knowledge Europe: The EU’s new Research Framework Programme 2007-2013 Action.do?reference=MEMO/05/114&format=H TML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

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Item source: Date: 07/04/2005 Previous Item Back to Titles