ExpectedOutcome:
Project results are expected to contribute to several of the following expected outcomes:
- enhanced ERA excellence and attractiveness;
- consistent and well-structured research infrastructures ecosystem in Europe;
- solid Member States/Associated Country engagement in fully-fledged pan-European research infrastructures;
- long-term perspective for investments in research infrastructures;
- synergies and complementarities between new and existing research infrastructures, including technology infrastructures and infrastructures financed by ERDF.
Scope:
This topic targets the research infrastructure projects retained in the 2016 ESFRI Roadmap, for the excellence of their scientific case and for their strategic importance for the European Research Area and the structuring of the European research infrastructure ecosystem.
The recent ESFRI Monitoring exercise carried out for the update of the ESFRI Roadmap 2021 assessed the overall progress towards implementation of these 2016 ESFRI projects and highlighted a number of key aspects that could hamper their implementation and start of the operation phase.
Although these ESFRI projects have received EU funding for their preparatory phase and initial commitment from Member States/Associated Countries, the early stages of the research infrastructure life-cycle are particularly challenging, also considering additional difficulties linked to the COVID-19 pandemic. These ESFRI projects may suffer from the transition to the Horizon Europe new framework programme and the possible lack of opportunities for supporting their development as fully-fledged pan-European research infrastructures. Proposals are expected to specifically address the bottlenecks identified in the ESFRI Monitoring report and in the Report[1] of the Commission High Level Expert Group, and allow these ESFRI projects to enter into the implementation phase. The extent to which these critical issues are addressed will be considered in evaluating proposals.
Based on the recommendations stemming from these monitoring exercises, support can be provided for activities, such as enlargement of the membership; establishment of the governance structure; securing the funding; finalisation of the distributed architecture; development of ICT and data management solutions (including possible open access to data); development of access policies and users’ strategies; consolidation of the international dimension; addressing staff and procurement related issues.
Proposal consortia should involve all stakeholders necessary to move the project forward and ensure financial commitments (including national/regional ministries/governments, research councils or funding agencies).
Proposals should explain any synergies and complementarities with previous or current EU grants. ESFRI projects currently benefitting from individual support under Horizon 2020 cannot apply to this topic.
[1]Report of the High-Level Expert Group to Assess the Progress of ESFRI and Other World Class Research Infrastructures Towards Implementation and Long-Term Sustainability
