European Roadmap for Research Infrastructures
The ESFRI Roadmap identifies new Research Infrastructure (RI) of pan-European interest corresponding to the long term needs of the European research communities, covering all scientific areas, regardless of possible location.
Potential new RI (or major upgrade) identified are likely to be realized in the next 10 to 20 years. Therefore they may have different degrees of maturity but it should be noted that they are supported by a relevant European partnership or intergovernmental research organisation.
Project descriptions highlight the manner in which they would impact on science and technology development at international level, how they would support new ways of doing science in Europe, and how they would contribute to the enhancement of the European Research Area.
The ESFRI roadmap is an on-going process; therefore this roadmap will be periodically updated and its subsequent revisions will be considered by the different Member states as well as by the European Commission to better define priority projects to be supported at national and Community level. The process leading to the first update of the roadmap already started early 2007.
The roadmap process 2006
Following a request from the European Commission, ESFRI decided early 2005 to compile a List of Opportunities in order to assist the Commission in the preparation of its proposal for the Seventh Framework programme (FP7).
Following a mandate of the Council of Ministers, ESFRI, in its work towards a European roadmap, set up during summer 2005 different Roadmap Working Groups to analyse topical issues.
Rules for the preparation of the roadmap have been defined and agreed by the ESFRI delegates.
The Roadmap Working Groups could seek independent scientific, technical or socio-economic advice, making use, as far as possible, of existing bodies; the Roadmap Working Groups could also set up specific Expert Groups, with a specific mandate and the agreement of ESFRI;
- Identified Expert Groups in their thematic fields (2005-2006) ( 82KB)
- For further information on e-Infrastructures you can also consult the following web page: http://www.e-irg.org/contact/
On reception of the RWG reports, ESFRI started drafting the roadmap in March 2006.
The Roadmap document was checked by a 'Review Group' and finally approved by ESFRI during its meeting held on 28-29 September 2006.
The first list of 35 mature proposals for new (or major upgrade of) facilities of pan-European interest covers seven key research areas including Environmental Sciences; Energy; Materials Sciences; Astrophysics, Astronomy, Particle and Nuclear Physics; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Social Sciences and the Humanities; Computation and data Treatment. This resulting European Roadmap for Research Infrastructures was presented on 19 October 2006 at a press conference in Brussels.
In addition, ESFRI has been in contact with some Intergovernmental Research Organisations which have recently edited their own strategic documents and to which the ESFRI report refers.
Implementation of the Roadmap 2006
The implementation of the roadmap is supported by:
a) ESFRI and its members:
Through its regular meetings and specific workshops ESFRI makes all efforts to support the efficient implementation of the roadmap in discussing and clarifying important issues such as legal aspects for the creation of new RI, the regional impacts of RI, the need for satellite facilities in different Member States or the use of structural funds. In addition, in many Member States, national roadmaps are being developed to stimulate an effective support to the implementation of the different projects.
b) The European Commission:
To provide catalytic and leveraging support for the preparatory phase leading to the constriction of new research infrastructures (or major upgrades of existing ones) the projects on the roadmap will participate at the first call 2006/2007 under FP7 Capacities Specific Programme. The preparatory phase aims at bringing the projects to the level of legal and financial maturity required to implement the project.
The roadmap update process 2007 - 2008
As a result of the initial work for the roadmap, ESFRI agreed during its December meeting 2006 to set up a fourth RWG for Environmental which has been implemented immediately.
ESFRI started the roadmap update process when approving the terms of reference during a meeting on 9 March 2007.
- TOR RWGs (2007 - 2008) ( 44KB)
The update procedure was discussed and agreed in June 2007.
- Timetable (2007 - 2008) ( 24KB)
- Procedure (2007 - 2008) ( 84KB)
The list of the RWG members was agreed by ESFRI in July 2007.
The launch of the update process of the roadmap officially started on 16 July 2007.
How to contribute to the European Roadmap on Research Infrastructures?
- Please contact your Delegate ( ESFRI Members list) in your country.
Last update on: 2008.04.16