CORDIS Archive

Welcome to the Environment and Sustainable Development action for

"Support for Research Infrastructures"

A set of measures with the Environment and Sustainable Development sub-programme are dedicated to reinforce the infrastructures needed for research at European level within the priorities of the programme. Support for research infrastructures aims at encouraging the transnational use of existing public or private facilities which address critical needs, in order to further improve their exploitation while avoiding unnecessary duplication. It is also intended to cover emerging priority needs such as the use of high-bandwidth electronic communication networks.

The priority areas are:

• Global change, climate and biodiversity research facilities
• Marine research facilities
• Natural hazards research facilities

Activities to be Supported

In order to reinforce European added value and the optimisation of required efforts in the field of environment and sustainable development, Community support will be directed towards:

• Transnational coordination
• Complementing of national or multinational initiatives
• Networking
• Increasing the compatibility and connection between scattered facilities in Europe

Implementation and coordination

The support for research infrastructures under this specific programme will normally be awarded to dedicated multi-partner research activities and implemented through research and technological development projects, concerted actions/thematic networks, and accompanying measures of the Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development Programme (EESD). Under the EESD programme, selected infrastructure projects must underpin scientific and technological issues of major European interest. Hence a clear commitment of resources by the consortium members towards RTD activities is a prerequisite for support.

For more details see the full text of the ESD Workprogramme.