More effective collaboration
Representatives of European Infrastructures signed the memorandum of understanding (MoU) at the 6th ERIC network meeting in Helsinki. It acknowledges that with an increasing number of European Infrastructure Consortia (ERIC) a more structured collaboration will be more effective.
ERIC Forum: responding to common challenges
Consequently the document establishes the ERIC Forum, which formalises the ERIC network meetings. The signatories consider the ERIC Forum as a means to address common subjects, which arise from the implemetation of the ERIC Regulation by the European Commission. The forum is open for membership to any established ERIC, and has the following objectives:
- To identify common challenges affecting the Forum Members as entities subject to the ERIC Regulation;
- To collectively develop responses to these challenges;
- To contribute to the further development of the ERIC Regulation, ESFRI framework and European and international
- research context; and
- To foster the visibility, impact and sustainability of ERICs.
6th ERIC Network Meeting
The 6th ERIC Network Meeting brought together more than 80 representatives from ERICs, national governments and the European Commission, as well as research infrastructures planning on applying for ERIC status. It featured presentations of many ERICs, discussions on legal issues and the handling of internal rules and best practices, as well as other issues related to the governance of ERICs.
The meeting was hosted by ICOS ERIC in cooperation with representatives from CESSDA, ECCSEL, European Spallation Source ERIC, and the European Commission. According to the MoU, the ERIC Network meetings will be succeeded by ERIC Forum meetings. The first Forum meeting will be held in Graz, Austria in November 2017.
Links
6th ERIC Network Meeting organiser ICOS: www.icos-ri.eu
News item on the 6th ERIC Network Meeting by ICOS: www.icos-ri.eu/event/229
