Integrating Activities for Advanced Communities

This topic targets the long-term sustainability of new research infrastructures, ESFRI and other world-class research infrastructures of European Interest, with established governance and legal structure, notably on the basis of the European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ERIC) or any other suitable structure with international membership. Infrastructures having submitted a first step application to the Commission for establishing an ERIC may also apply to this topic. Support will be provided to activities aimed at ensuring long-term sustainability, including enlargement of the membership, European coverage, international cooperation^[1], limited pilots of access provision for testing and improving user services to increase reliability and create trust, definition of service level agreements and business/funding plan, outreach, and technology transfer activities. Proposals should explain any synergies and complementarities with previous or current EU grants.

Specific attention should be given to the interaction with industry and SMEs and the fostering of the innovation potential of the infrastructures. Activities may also facilitate the development of Regional Partner Facilities and their integration in the European research infrastructure landscape. The detailed list of activities that can be supported under this topic is given in part B of the section “Specific features for Research Infrastructures”.