Periodic Reporting for period 1 - e-IRGSP7 (e-Infrastructure Reflection Group Support Programme 7)
Reporting period: 2022-04-01 to 2023-12-31
e-IRGSP7 was the 7th implementation of the support programme to the e-Infrastructure Reflection Group. e-IRG is an inter-governmental and recognised advisory body on e-Infrastructure policies in Europe. The vision of e-IRG is to "facilitate integration in the area of European e-Infrastructures and connected services, within and between member states, at the European level and globally”. Its mission is “to support both coherent, innovative and strategic European e-Infrastructure policy making and the development of convergent and sustainable e-Infrastructure services”. e-IRG's vision and mission remain timelier than ever. e-IRG actively stimulates discussions among all stakeholders through its workshops.
The main objective of e-IRGSP7 was to provide the required core operational services to e-IRG to achieve its policy-making goals and activities, i.e. contributing to its policy papers and supporting e-IRG in its liaisons with related stakeholders in the EU landscape, as well as communicating its outputs and events. The main stakeholders included the EOSC Steering Board, the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI) and the e-Infrastructure-related organisations, i.e. EGI, EUDAT, GEANT, OpenAIRE, PRACE, along with the EOSC Association.
The main objective of e-IRGSP7 was to provide the required core operational services to e-IRG to achieve its policy-making goals and activities, i.e. contributing to its policy papers and supporting e-IRG in its liaisons with related stakeholders in the EU landscape, as well as communicating its outputs and events. The main stakeholders included the EOSC Steering Board, the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI) and the e-Infrastructure-related organisations, i.e. EGI, EUDAT, GEANT, OpenAIRE, PRACE, along with the EOSC Association.
e-IRGSP7 has provided the secretariat to the governing bodies of e-IRG (Chair, Executive Board, e-IRG plenum), supported the day-to-day operations and organisation of e-IRG events. e-IRGSP7 also provided support to e-IRG’s policy activities and provided communication and liaison activities to distribute the outcomes of e-IRG.
e-IRGSP7 has provided support services to the e-IRG and organised all e-IRG workshops and delegates meetings. Four e-IRG workshops have been implemented under the French, Czech, Swedish and Spanish EU presidencies:
- The FR workshop focused, on a sustainable EOSC and the role of e-Infrastructures, the twin “green and digital” transition in e-Infrastructures and the cross-e-Infrastructure collaboration and coordination (network, computing, data)
- The CZ workshop focused on the coordination and collaboration among EU e-Infrastructures, Energy crisis and e-Infrastructures, Data Infrastructures and EU Data Spaces, and interlinking/interaction between data, publications and PIDs.
- The SE workshop celebrated the 20 years of anniversary of e-IRG, which was a milestone event for e-IRG showcasing its impact over its long history, and then focused on the Authentication and Authorisation Infrastructures coordination in the ERA and beyond, Cybersecurity and critical infrastructures and coordination among generic and thematic infrastructures in the new ERA .
- The ES workshop focused on e-Infrastructures for strengthening European unity (including EDICs & ERICs), skills in the frame of e-Infrastructures and the diverse ecosystem of EOSC nodes.
All e-IRG Workshops received very positive ratings. "Communiqués" for all e-IRG Workshops have been created, summarising the outcomes of these workshops.
e-IRGSP7 has supported e-IRG’s policy-activities with the development of the e-IRG White Paper 2022, entitled “Realisation and enhancement of coordination and collaboration in the e-Infrastructure landscape covering the full spectrum of e-Infrastructures (networking, computing, data) and related services”, which was published in January 2023. The document addresses the coordination between EU e-Infrastructures and is taking further the topic of coordination inside the ERA, this time focusing on the EU level, which is a core concept of the e-Infrastructure Commons. With its White Paper 2022, e-IRG is providing an analysis and recommendations towards the coordination and collaboration among the EU e-Infrastructures. The White Paper is an outcome of an iterative process with all major EU e-Infrastructure-related initiatives - namely EGI, EUDAT, GEANT, OpenAIRE and PRACE, as well as the EOSC Steering Board, the EOSC Association and the EC. All these contributed to the creation of the White Paper responding to a related questionnaire and through their participation in a series of e-IRG workshops and meetings. e-IRGSP7 drafted the questionnaire, performed the analysis, and also acted as the main editor of White Paper 2022, under the guidance of the e-IRG Chair, the EB and the e-IRG plenum, which approved the document. One of the e-IRG White Paper 2022 recommendations was the creation of the e-Infrastructure Assembly. After a series of preparatory meetings with all stakeholders, the e-Infrastructure Assembly was established in June 2023. The Assembly is composed of representatives from EGI, EUDAT, GEANT, OpenAIRE and PRACE and the e-IRG Chair is invited as an observer. In June 2023 e-IRG agreed on the participation of one e-Infrastructure Assembly member and one Board member of the EOSC-A in its closed meetings, based on “Terms of Observers”, in line with the e-IRG bylaws. The scope of work of the Assembly was presented by the e-Infrastructures in the September 2023 e-IRG delegates online meeting and the first face-to-face meeting of the e-Infrastructures Assembly took place at UPV in Valencia in November 2023. The discussions focused on the sustainability of e-Infrastructures and the need for dedicated funding calls in the next RI Work Programmes (2025-2027), but mainly in the next Framework Programme (FP10).
Other e-IRGSP7 achievements, included the support to the liaison with the EOSC SB, ESFRI and the ESFRI-EOSC TF, the organisation of 4 e-IRG Cafes, and the active participation and contribution of e-IRGSP7 in all EOSC coordination activities and the EOSC Macro Roadmap. Finally, the migration to a new website and set of tools.
e-IRGSP7 has provided support services to the e-IRG and organised all e-IRG workshops and delegates meetings. Four e-IRG workshops have been implemented under the French, Czech, Swedish and Spanish EU presidencies:
- The FR workshop focused, on a sustainable EOSC and the role of e-Infrastructures, the twin “green and digital” transition in e-Infrastructures and the cross-e-Infrastructure collaboration and coordination (network, computing, data)
- The CZ workshop focused on the coordination and collaboration among EU e-Infrastructures, Energy crisis and e-Infrastructures, Data Infrastructures and EU Data Spaces, and interlinking/interaction between data, publications and PIDs.
- The SE workshop celebrated the 20 years of anniversary of e-IRG, which was a milestone event for e-IRG showcasing its impact over its long history, and then focused on the Authentication and Authorisation Infrastructures coordination in the ERA and beyond, Cybersecurity and critical infrastructures and coordination among generic and thematic infrastructures in the new ERA .
- The ES workshop focused on e-Infrastructures for strengthening European unity (including EDICs & ERICs), skills in the frame of e-Infrastructures and the diverse ecosystem of EOSC nodes.
All e-IRG Workshops received very positive ratings. "Communiqués" for all e-IRG Workshops have been created, summarising the outcomes of these workshops.
e-IRGSP7 has supported e-IRG’s policy-activities with the development of the e-IRG White Paper 2022, entitled “Realisation and enhancement of coordination and collaboration in the e-Infrastructure landscape covering the full spectrum of e-Infrastructures (networking, computing, data) and related services”, which was published in January 2023. The document addresses the coordination between EU e-Infrastructures and is taking further the topic of coordination inside the ERA, this time focusing on the EU level, which is a core concept of the e-Infrastructure Commons. With its White Paper 2022, e-IRG is providing an analysis and recommendations towards the coordination and collaboration among the EU e-Infrastructures. The White Paper is an outcome of an iterative process with all major EU e-Infrastructure-related initiatives - namely EGI, EUDAT, GEANT, OpenAIRE and PRACE, as well as the EOSC Steering Board, the EOSC Association and the EC. All these contributed to the creation of the White Paper responding to a related questionnaire and through their participation in a series of e-IRG workshops and meetings. e-IRGSP7 drafted the questionnaire, performed the analysis, and also acted as the main editor of White Paper 2022, under the guidance of the e-IRG Chair, the EB and the e-IRG plenum, which approved the document. One of the e-IRG White Paper 2022 recommendations was the creation of the e-Infrastructure Assembly. After a series of preparatory meetings with all stakeholders, the e-Infrastructure Assembly was established in June 2023. The Assembly is composed of representatives from EGI, EUDAT, GEANT, OpenAIRE and PRACE and the e-IRG Chair is invited as an observer. In June 2023 e-IRG agreed on the participation of one e-Infrastructure Assembly member and one Board member of the EOSC-A in its closed meetings, based on “Terms of Observers”, in line with the e-IRG bylaws. The scope of work of the Assembly was presented by the e-Infrastructures in the September 2023 e-IRG delegates online meeting and the first face-to-face meeting of the e-Infrastructures Assembly took place at UPV in Valencia in November 2023. The discussions focused on the sustainability of e-Infrastructures and the need for dedicated funding calls in the next RI Work Programmes (2025-2027), but mainly in the next Framework Programme (FP10).
Other e-IRGSP7 achievements, included the support to the liaison with the EOSC SB, ESFRI and the ESFRI-EOSC TF, the organisation of 4 e-IRG Cafes, and the active participation and contribution of e-IRGSP7 in all EOSC coordination activities and the EOSC Macro Roadmap. Finally, the migration to a new website and set of tools.
e-IRGSP7 supported e-IRG in its action plan to contribute at the policy level towards the implementation of the e-Infrastructure Commons at the European and national levels. This was accomplished by promoting coordination and interoperability practices of e-Infrastructures and increase the engagement of the user communities.
e-IRGSP7 also supported e-IRG in proposing and recommending further actions on existing EU policies, and/or designing new EU policies towards an improved, interoperable and integrated ecosystem of EU Research Infrastructures and e-Infrastructures, in particular via its e-IRG White Paper 2022.
e-IRGSP7 supported e-IRG in the organization of the open e-IRG Workshops and along with other targeted activities provided a platform for policy makers, funders, e-Infrastructure providers/projects, and user communities to exchange knowledge and information on e-Infrastructure developments and needs, and thus create bridges and cross-fertilisation platforms between these stakeholder communities. Through such stimulated discussions, eventually the creation of policy recommendations and cooperation initiatives was achieved, such as the creation of the e-Infrastructure Assembly composed of major e-Infrastructures in Europe, namely GEANT, EGI, EUDAT, OpenAIRE and PRACE.
e-IRGSP7 disseminated and promoted the outcomes of e-IRG (policy papers, recommendations, communiqués) and through these the further development and the implementation of the EOSC and the ERA were supported.
e-IRGSP7 also supported e-IRG in proposing and recommending further actions on existing EU policies, and/or designing new EU policies towards an improved, interoperable and integrated ecosystem of EU Research Infrastructures and e-Infrastructures, in particular via its e-IRG White Paper 2022.
e-IRGSP7 supported e-IRG in the organization of the open e-IRG Workshops and along with other targeted activities provided a platform for policy makers, funders, e-Infrastructure providers/projects, and user communities to exchange knowledge and information on e-Infrastructure developments and needs, and thus create bridges and cross-fertilisation platforms between these stakeholder communities. Through such stimulated discussions, eventually the creation of policy recommendations and cooperation initiatives was achieved, such as the creation of the e-Infrastructure Assembly composed of major e-Infrastructures in Europe, namely GEANT, EGI, EUDAT, OpenAIRE and PRACE.
e-IRGSP7 disseminated and promoted the outcomes of e-IRG (policy papers, recommendations, communiqués) and through these the further development and the implementation of the EOSC and the ERA were supported.