Call for Action on small and medium scale research infrastructures in Europe
EU-LIFE call for action on the small- and medium-sized research infrastructures
Last week representatives of numerous research organisations, EU member states, EU institutions as well as international stakeholders from many countries met in Vienna for the International Conference on Research Infrastructures (ICRI 2018). They discussed topics related to the major international research infrastructures and international cooperation in this field. While these discussions were extremely important they overlooked a relevant aspect: the role of small- and medium-sized research infrastructures in the research and innovation ecosystem.
Therefore, we call upon the EU member states, the European Commission and ESFRI to:
- Clearly recognise and acknowledge the important role of small- and medium-sized research infrastructures for European Research and Innovation.
- Map and understand the needs and challenges that small- and medium-sized research infrastructures are facing in Europe.
- Address these needs and challenges while promoting the contribution of these research infrastructures to the sustainability of the research and innovation ecosystem.
- Include specifically the dimension of small- and medium-sized research infrastructures in the framework of the European Research Area (ERA) and the plan for sustainability of European research infrastructures.
- Involve the relevant stakeholders for the small- and medium-sized research infrastructures in the policy process as successfully done in the past at DG Research and Innovation.
- Provide support within Horizon Europe to small- and medium-sized research infrastructures for training, innovation and transnational access, as stipulated by the Competitiveness Council conclusions from May 2018.
Interested parties and stakeholders that endorse the important role of small- and medium-sized research infrastructures are invited to support this statement.
The full statement can be read here.
