COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS A EUROPEAN STRATEGY ON RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURES
Date: 2025-09-30
Institutions: Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, European Commission
Subjects: EU research policy, EU strategy, innovation, research and development, research infrastructure, scientific cooperation, scientific research

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 30.9.2025  COM(2025) 497 final/2  This document corrects document COM(2025) 497 final of 15.09.2025.  Concerns all language versions.  Correcting clerical errors in Figure 1 on page 5 and in Figure 2 on page 9.   The text shall read as follows: COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS A EUROPEAN STRATEGY ON RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURES  
 
 
EUROPEAN STRATEGY ON RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY 
INFRASTRUCTURES 

1.  RATIONALE FOR A LONG-TERM STRATEGY 

1.1.  Policy context  

Europe’s world-class ecosystem  of research and technology  infrastructures is  a unique asset 
that enables scientific progress, drives innovation, strengthens competitiveness and connects 
talent across borders. It is also a compelling reason to choose Europe for pursuing pioneering 
science and delivering groundbreaking innovation. But to stay ahead, this ecosystem must be 
continuously reinforced, while becoming ever more integrated and accessible. 

The EU needs to invest boldly - on a scale and coherence not seen before - in new capacities 
for best-in-class research infrastructures, to consolidate Europe’s position as a global leader in 
science and innovation and attract top talent. In parallel, increased investment in strategically 
important  technology  infrastructures  fit  for  driving  EU’s  competitiveness,  resilience  and 
technological sovereignty is needed to translate research into market-ready innovation. They 
are key for new strategic technologies to be developed and deployed in Europe. In particular, 
deep-tech startups and scaleups rely disproportionally on access to technology infrastructures 
to test and validate their innovative technologies.  

This European strategy for research and technology infrastructures sets out a long-term vision 
to  expand and strengthen  this ecosystem, maximising its contribution to Europe’s scientific, 
technological and industrial future.  

The strategy is in line with the high ambition for infrastructures of the proposal for Horizon 
Europe in the EU’s next Multiannual Financial Framework (2028-2034) as well as the proposal 
for the European Competitiveness Fund. It provides a comprehensive strategic framework for 
guiding the implementation of the relevant research and technology infrastructure actions. 

This strategy supports the realisation of the ‘fifth freedom’ of the EU single market regarding 
the  free  circulation  of  researchers,  scientific  knowledge  and  technology  in  the  European 
Research Area (ERA), promoting innovation and technological progress. It will help unlock the 
full potential of Europe’s leading role as a science powerhouse in various strategic sectors such 
as  artificial  intelligence  (AI),  life  sciences,  Earth  observation,  quantum  technologies,  fusion 
energy, biotechnology, clean and renewable  energy technologies  and advanced materials, as 
well as with the strategy to improve the framework conditions for start-ups and scale-ups in the 
EU. 

As the EU strives to assert its global lead in the clean transition and bolster its competitiveness 
and  strategic  autonomy,  it  is  imperative  that  research  and  innovation  (R&I)  efforts  are 
strengthened — fully leveraging the potential of research and technology infrastructures to meet 
Europe’s target of investing 3% of GDP in research and development (R&D). 

Research and technology infrastructures are also critical factors for closing Europe’s innovation 
gap  with  other  world  regions  and  countries,  in  line  with  the  Draghi  report  and  the 
Competitiveness Compass — providing the facilities where breakthrough ideas are developed, 
matured and transformed into market-ready solutions. 

By leveraging their collective strengths and capabilities, these infrastructures have the potential 
to  pool  resources,  share  knowledge,  and  coordinate  efforts  across  the  wider  European  R&I 
ecosystem. As research infrastructures and technology infrastructures complement each other, 
we must adopt a more holistic ecosystem approach to the development of their capacities, to 

 
 
exploit synergies in their services and simplify access for users, in line with EU policy priorities. 
Such  an  approach  would  drive  scientific  excellence  in  frontier  research,  fuel  deep  tech 
innovation  and  revitalise  strategic  value  chains.  Europe  must  provide  the  capacities  for 
innovative companies, including startups and scaleups, to access advanced facilities, validate 
technologies,  develop  corresponding  standards  and  accelerate  market  entry.  An  ambitious, 
coordinated approach to infrastructures is essential to strengthen Europe's innovation fabric and 
economic  security,  empower  its  next  generation  of  industrial  champions,  and  secure  a 
sustainable competitive edge in the global tech race. 

Major  powers  are  increasingly  disengaging  from  international  cooperation  on  R&I.  Europe 
must assert and strengthen its position as a beacon of free and open excellent science building 
on its longstanding global leadership role as a research powerhouse. With a vast talent pool of 
over two million researchers, Europe is exceptionally well-placed to develop groundbreaking 
solutions for tomorrow’s world by investing in the R&D of global public goods, in areas such 
as  public  health  and  climate  change.  By  investing  strategically  in  research  and  technology 
infrastructures, Europe can cement its reputation as a champion of knowledge-driven progress, 
attracting  global  talent  in  support  of  the  Choose  Europe  initiative1.    By  building  up  new 
capacities,  Europe  will  strengthen  its  role  as  a  trusted  partner  for  international  cooperation, 
while reinforcing and protecting key assets for its future.  

1.2.  Landscape of European research and technology infrastructures  

Research Infrastructures 

For decades, Europe has been home to a constellation of world-class research infrastructures, 
from large single-sited facilities to distributed organisations collaborating across the continent. 
They form the foundation of Europe’s R&I ecosystem. They are the data producers for science, 
generating and managing vast amounts of reliable data that drive fundamental research and are 
indispensable  for  addressing  global  challenges  such  as  tackling  climate  change,  pandemic 
preparedness and combatting hybrid threats.  

The primary purpose of research infrastructures is to pursue scientific excellence by ensuring 
that researchers have access to state-of-the-art equipment, laboratories, and digital resources, 
particularly those that would be too costly or complex for individual institutions to develop. 
They include, amongst others, major equipment or set of instruments, collections, archives and 
scientific data infrastructures, generally publicly owned and sustained.  

Since the ERA was launched in 2000, over 60 new pan-European research infrastructures have 
been established—ranging from large-scale facilities like synchrotrons and lasers to distributed 
platforms  in  life  sciences,  energy,  the  environment,  and  the  social  sciences  and  humanities. 
Many  operate  as  European  Research  Infrastructure  Consortia  (ERICs),  a  unique  legal 
framework for research infrastructures of pan-European relevance.  

Since 2002 the European landscape is governed by the European Strategy Forum on Research 
Infrastructures  (ESFRI).  The  roadmaps  and  landscape  analyses  of  ESFRI  guide  strategic 
investment, with the current roadmap representing over EUR 25 billion in investment and more 
than EUR 2 billion in annual operating costs. EU funding for 2021–2027 adds EUR 2.4 billion 
to support the scientific  instrumentation, access,  and design of new infrastructures. ESFRI’s 
recent analysis maps the ecosystem and identifies critical gaps, increasingly informing national 
strategies.  The  European  Regional  Development  Fund  has  also  played  an  important  role  in 
strengthening regional R&I capacity through research infrastructure investment. 

1 Choose Europe : Advancing your research career in the EU   

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Examples of research infrastructures 

However, as the landscape of research infrastructures grows, ensuring its coherence and long-
term sustainability becomes more challenging, requiring a long-term strategic approach.  

CERN, the first European research infrastructure established 
in 1954, is the world’s leading laboratory for particle physics, 
where scientists from over 100 countries collaborate. It is also 
famously the birthplace of the World Wide Web. 

BBMRI-ERIC  hosts  the  world’s  largest  biobank  of  human 
samples. It collaborates with other large research infrastructures in 
the  health  domain,  such  as  Euro-Bioimaging  ERIC  and  Instruct 
ERIC supporting rapid response to global health challenges 

The  INTERACT  research  infrastructure  network  which 
spans 90 research stations facilitates international scientific 
collaboration  in  the  strategically  sensitive  arctic  region 
alongside  a  growing  network  of  complementary  facilities 
such  as  icebreaker  research  vessels  and  ice  and  sediment 
core repositories.  
For more examples of pan-European infrastructures see: https://ri-portfolio.esfri.eu/2 

KM3NeT is a deep-sea telescope located 3.5 km beneath the 
Mediterranean Sea. It uses arrays of optical sensors suspended 
in seawater to detect high-energy cosmic neutrinos. In 2023, it 
detected the most energetic neutrino ever recorded, a milestone 
for fundamental physics. 

Technology infrastructures 

Alongside research infrastructures, an emerging landscape of technology infrastructures, both 
in  the civilian  and military domains,  completes a  range of facilities and services  supporting 
technology  development,  testing,  validation  and  scaleup,  accelerating  the  market  uptake  of 
research results.  
Technology  infrastructures3  are  facilities,  equipment,  capabilities  and  resources  required  to 
develop, test, upscale and validate technology. They include, amongst others, test beds, pilot 
lines,  pilot  plants  and  demonstration  facilities,  cleanrooms,  and  living  labs.  Their  primary 
purpose is to enable and accelerate technological innovations towards societal/market adoption, 
boosting industrial competitiveness. The key added value of technology infrastructures lies in 

2 Photograph sources: 1. CERN, 2. BBMRI-ERIC, of the Danish National Bank at the Statens Serrum institute, 
3. Interact network, 4. KM3NeT module, credit: Paschal Coyle 
3 Previously described in the Commission Staff Working Document (SWD 2019/158) 

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allowing companies to derisk their R&D&I investments before market introduction and to have 
ideas and concepts tested and validated for faster uptake at commercial scale.  

Examples of technology infrastructures 

The Imec cleanrooms are three state-of-the-art cleanrooms 
(FAB1,  FAB2  and  FAB3)  with  world-class  nano-  and 
semiconductor 
fuelling 
collaborations with global industrial leaders (e.g. ASML) 
and supporting a vibrant startup ecosystem.  

technology 

equipment 

The  VTT  Bioruukki  Pilot  Centre  for  bio-based  products  and 
circular economy combines several facilities  and services for 
material  and  chemical  technologies,  allowing  development, 
scale-up and demonstration. 

The  TNO  Solar  Lab  is  a  complex  of  facilities,  including 
state-of-the-art  lab  space  and  pilot  production  lines, 
enabling  solar  photovoltaic 
technology  maturation, 
upscaling,  prototyping,  and  validation.  The  Lab 
collaborates with both large industry, SMEs and startups, 
as well as with public authorities, for example to test the 
incorporation  of  solar  cells  in  road  surfaces  and  noise 
barriers. 

test 

ASTAZERO  operates 
tracks  and  proving  grounds, 
including the world’s longest indoor track DryZone, supporting 
the  development  and  validation  of  automotive  and 
transportation system technologies, from early concept phase to 
verification and product performance follow-up. Collaborations 
include large industry (e.g. Volvo Cars, Ericsson) and a broad 
range of SMEs.4 

There is a wealth of technology infrastructures across the EU, both in the civilian and defence 
domains. However, they operate primarily at the level of local ecosystems. The landscape is 
fragmented and lacks coordination, with little collaboration at cross-regional or cross-national 
levels. Their experimentation, testing and validation  services are usually not known and not 
accessible beyond their local or regional ecosystems. This fragmentation prevents researchers, 

4 Photograph sources: 1. Imec, 2. VTT, 3. TNO, 4.RISE. 

4 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
innovators and industry in Europe from having access to a comprehensive range of world-class 
facilities and tailor-made services in support of scientific and technological excellence. 

The  mapping  exercises  conducted  in  recent  years  demonstrate  a  high  concentration  of 
technology infrastructures in specific parts of the EU. For example, over 50% of technology 
infrastructures  in  clean  and  renewable  energy  technologies  are  hosted  in  just  four  countries 
(Germany, Spain, France and the Netherlands).  

Figure 1: Distribution of technology infrastructures in clean and renewable energy technologies by NUTS-
2 region, Source: Mapping of Technology Infrastructures supporting clean and renewable energy industries in 
Europe (2024) 

This uneven distribution is more prominent when considering facilities that require significant 
initial investment. For example, a quarter of EU cleanrooms are located in just five regions5. At 
the same time, a very high correlation exists between the location of technology infrastructures 
and  the  location  of  companies  active  in  the  same  technologies.  This  demonstrates  the 
importance of access to  infrastructure services for industrial activity in technology intensive 
sectors.  

1.3.  Challenges and the need for action 

As global competitors ramp up investment in large-scale facilities, Europe must act decisively. 
This renewed European strategy for research and technology infrastructures is key to staying 
ahead. 

Research  and  technology  infrastructures  are  vital  to  tackling  complex,  interdisciplinary 
scientific questions and unlock the potential of emerging technologies like advanced materials, 
biotech, and AI. They must also serve a wider range of users—innovative small and medium-
sized enterprises (SMEs), startups, scaleups, and diverse research communities. 

5 Comunidad de Madrid (ES), Rhône-Alpes (FR), Etelä-Suomi (FI), Limburg (NL) and Noord-Brabant (NL). 

5 

 
 
 
 
Yet Europe’s ability to build a strong infrastructure ecosystem is being held back: 

•  Fragmented policies and funding across the EU: While research infrastructures benefit 
from strategic planning via ESFRI, technology infrastructures lack a coherent EU approach 
to  investment.  Budget  constraints,  scattered  funding,  and  limited  private  investment  are 
slowing progress. 

•  Limited collaboration across infrastructures: Cross-sector, and cross-border synergies 
remain  underused,  restricting  access,  missing  opportunities  and  reinforcing  regional 
disparities.  

•  Insufficient access opportunities and complex access procedures: Complex procedures, 
high  costs,  and  poor  visibility  limit  accessibility  to  researchers  and  companies.  This  is 
particularly the case for startups as flagged in the EU Startup and Scaleup Strategy.   
•  Skills  gaps:  Rapid  technological  change  and  an  increasingly  diverse  user  base  demands 
constant upskilling to keep infrastructures at the cutting edge, ensure they are attractive to 
top talent and enrich the experience of their partners  

•  Untapped  potential  of  digitalisation  and  AI  adoption:  increasing  digitalisation,  data 
sharing, and the use of AI by infrastructures are needed to strengthen their functionality and 
resilience and reducing costs of operation and access. 

•  Hampered  reuse  of  data  for  research:  Soaring  research  data  volumes,  particularly  in 
fields  with  deep  AI  integration  are  outpacing  our  capacity  to  put  it  to  use.  Storing  and 
managing  these  increasing  volumes  of  data  efficiently  and  securely  based  on  FAIR 
principles6 is essential.  

1.4.  Objectives of the Strategy 

The  strategy’s  overarching  objective  is  to  ensure  that  scientists,  researchers,  innovators, 
inventors, and industry in Europe have at their disposal easily accessible, cutting-edge 
facilities,  high-quality  data  and  tailored  services  that  drive  scientific  and  technological 
excellence, industrial competitiveness and well-being of people. This entails: 

(1)  strengthening the European ecosystem of research  and technology  infrastructures 
through a holistic approach to capacity building and mobilising investments, improving 
the  alignment  of  user  needs  and  available  facilities  and  services,  while  ensuring 
alignment with EU strategic priorities.  

(2)  bolstering  the  accessibility  of  research  and  technology  infrastructures  as  a 
continuum  of  complementary  services  for  researchers  and  innovative  companies, 
including startups and scaleups, across the EU, in order to support scientific breakthroughs 
and boost technology development, testing and validation, accelerating their societal and 
market-readiness,  

(3)  attracting and cultivating talent in Europe through strong career pathways in research 
and  technology  infrastructures,  from  technicians  to  scientific  leaders,  developing  new 
skills and competences, benefitting from the wider Choose Europe,  

(4)  improving  and  simplifying  the  governance  framework  for  research  and  technology 
infrastructures to support long-term investment decisions and promote the alignment of 

6 FAIR stands for data that is Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable (Wilkinson, M., Dumontier, M., 
Aalbersberg, I. et al. The FAIR Guiding Principles for scientific data management and stewardship. Sci Data 3, 
160018 (2016).) 

6 

 
 
 
priorities  among  the  EU  Member  States  and  stakeholders,  strengthening  coordination 
across funding sources and increasing the impact of public investment. 

(5)  improving  the  international  dimension  and  resilience  of  research  and  technology 
infrastructures  through  cooperation  with  strategic  partners  addressing  global  societal 
challenges, improving the integration of candidate and associated countries7 in the ERA, 
while at the same time supporting management of risks, in particular related to access to 
critical data and facilities, fostering EU’s sovereignty in critical technologies. 

2. 

INCREASING  EUROPEAN  RESEARCH  AND  TECHNOLOGY  INFRASTRUCTURE  CAPACITIES 
AND MOBILISING INVESTMENTS  

Increasing capacities - ensuring world-class facilities in Europe  

The Draghi report on ‘The Future of EU competitiveness’ and the ‘Align, Act Accelerate’ report 
by  the  Commission  Expert  Group  on  the  Interim  Evaluation  of  Horizon  Europe,  call  for 
substantially increasing the investments in research and technology infrastructures  capacities 
as the backbone of EU competitiveness. 

In  particular,  Europe  must  heavily  invest  in  the  upgrading  and  construction  of  cutting-edge 
research infrastructures to ensure global leadership in frontier science and enable breakthrough 
technological development. These facilities are becoming increasingly complex and costly. The 
scale of financing required is beyond what any single country can manage alone, and the current 
pace  of  decision-making  for  pan-European  investments  risks  leaving  Europe  trailing  behind 
global competitors. Strategic, large-scale investment is needed to establish and maintain these 
cutting-edge infrastructures, ensuring Europe8 remains the premier region for ‘Big Science’, 
which underpins deep-tech innovation. 

Research  infrastructures  need  continuous  technology  development  to  upgrade  equipment, 
improve  services,  and  meet  the  evolving  needs  of  R&I  users.  Co-creation  with  industry  is 
essential to building and maintaining these capacities. As highlighted by the ESFRI report on 
energy  and  supply  challenges9,  resilience  and  crisis  preparedness  require  both  short-term 
greening and long-term investment in technological upgrades. 

The need to  bridge the  EU’s innovation  gap  with its  main global competitors  requires swift 
action to identify the unmet needs of EU’s innovative companies for research and technology 
infrastructures services in strategic industrial sectors and technology areas. Addressing these 
needs will strengthen the development of new technologies in areas of strategic interest for the 
EU,  supporting  climate  and  competitiveness  objectives,  defence  capabilities  and  the  civil 
security of citizens.  

Boosting the capacities of European technology infrastructures is essential for the development 
of  critical  technologies  such  as  advanced  materials,  semiconductors,  biotechnology  and 
quantum technologies, but also holds for energy, health, transport, connectivity and networks, 
metrology, agriculture and space or defence, as well as the transition to a circular economy. In 
such strategic areas, the EU would benefit from coordinated assessment of available facilities 
and services, their competitiveness in the global landscape, and identification of needs and gaps 

7 In accordance with their respective overarching association agreements. Association to Horizon Europe is the 
closest form of cooperation with non-EU countries, allowing legal entities from an associated country to 
participate in programme actions on equal terms (rights and obligations) as entities in EU Member States under 
Article 16 of the Horizon Europe Regulation  
8 Including the EU outermost regions.  
9 https://www.esfri.eu/ESFRI-Report-Energy-and-Supply-Challenges-ri 

7 

 
 
 
in the context of EU policy priorities. Establishing robust criteria to identify the infrastructures 
which can support companies beyond their local ecosystems would enable the identification of 
common  European  priorities  and  the  development  of  joint  investment  roadmaps.  These  are 
necessary for better mobilisation and promotion of better alignment of funding at EU, national 
and regional levels. 

Addressing  the  fragmentation  of  technology  infrastructure  services  across  the  EU  requires 
increased collaboration between research and technology organisations, universities and other 
infrastructure  operators  to  develop  joint  service  offers  addressed  to  innovative  companies 
across  the  EU.  Stronger  connections  between  technology  infrastructures  and  infrastructures 
operated  by  industry10  as  well  as  links  with  other  experimental  spaces  such  as  regulatory 
sandboxes and living labs, should also be pursued.  

Mobilising investments 

Developing and sustaining research infrastructures as strategic assets for scientific excellence 
and industrial competitiveness requires major investment, as outlined in the  Pact for R&I in 
Europe. However, slow decision-making on pan-European research infrastructure investments 
is  weakening  Europe’s  global  position.  The  EU  should  play  a  stronger  role  in  supporting 
cutting-edge  infrastructures,  alongside  Member  States  and  other  funding  bodies.  Closer 
alignment of EU, national and regional funding is essential - building on existing guidance and 
best practices. 

The ESFRI roadmap and the ERIC framework enable joint investments, but challenges remain: 
distributed ERICs are not fully recognised in national funding systems, and international partner 
involvement is limited. These issues prevent the full potential of ERICs from being realised. 
The ESFRI report on funding11 highlights gaps in tracking funding streams and capturing the 
full cost of research infrastructure lifecycles – from construction and operation to upgrades and 
evolving  needs.  Distributed  infrastructures  face  particular  financing  challenges.  Many  also 
contribute to broader EU priorities – such as feeding data into Copernicus – but rely solely on 
R&I funding, threatening their long-term sustainability. These contributions should be reflected 
in relevant EU programme funding. 

10 For the distinction between technology infrastructures and those operated by industry see European 
Commission: Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, Towards a European policy for technology 
infrastructures – Building bridges to competitiveness, Publications Office of the European Union, 
2025, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2777/0876395 
11 https://www.esfri.eu/esfri-report-funding-research-infrastructures 

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Figure 2 shows the commitment of national governments to supporting research infrastructures on the ESFRI Roadmap, while 
showing the location of major European research infrastructures. Source: generated by authors based on ESFRI data 

Significant investments in technology infrastructures have been made in the EU in recent years. 
However,  recent  studies  show  that  the  current  funding  landscape  for  such  investments  is 
fragmented and lacks  a common vision and coherence, both at European and national level. 
There is also a significant funding gap in relation to investment needs, while funding models 
are  often  complex  and  unreliable.  A  recent  study12  on  funding  needs  for  technology 
infrastructure  in  the  EU  suggests  that  the  leading  European  research  and  technology 
organisations  will  need  to  mobilise  EUR13-16  billion  for  capital  investments  in  such 
infrastructures  by  2030,  in  particular  in  microelectronics  and  semiconductors,  clean  energy 
technologies,  quantum,  AI  &  data,  avionics  and  space  technologies,  circular  economy, 
advanced materials, and advanced manufacturing. This represents a projected growth of around 
200% overall compared to the investments made within the last five years, with significantly 
higher rates for some of the most innovative technologies. 

12 https://www.eib.org/en/publications/20250208-unlocking-innovation-addressing-the-funding-needs-of-eu-
technology-infrastructures 

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Figure 3: Results of a survey on funding needs for technology infrastructures. Source Technopolis Group (2025) 

Identifying  common  capacity  gaps  and  facilitating  the  effective  pooling  of  resources  that 
enables efficient implementation of the investments needed, requires strong coordination and 
collaboration  of  all  relevant  actors  as  done  for  example  for  the  EuroHPC  and  Chips  Joint 
Undertakings.  EU policies and EU-level actions on the one hand, and national strategies and 
programmes on the other hand, need to work together to strengthen technology infrastructure 
capacities and to ensure coherence of strategic priorities and facilitate effective implementation 
of investments needed.  

Capital  investments  currently  rely  mostly  on  public  funding  and  own  resources  of  hosting 
organisations.  With  competing  priorities  for  public  funding,  meeting  the  investment  needs 
requires broadening of funding sources so that all relevant funding frameworks available at EU, 
national  and  regional levels,  both  public  and private, are mobilised for joint  investments.  A 
stronger role of the EU funding should serve as catalyst for investments in infrastructures of 
European interest addressing strategic capacity gaps.  

For technology infrastructures, this could include public-private partnerships with an increased 
role for EU funding, building on the experience of the Chips Pilot Lines and AI Factories, and 
extending the use of financial instruments available through the  InvestEU and the European 
Investment  Bank.    The  integration  of  investment  priorities  into  structured  collaboration 
frameworks  such  as  European  Partnerships  and  cross-border  collaborations  in  Important 
Projects  of  Common  European  Interest  also  needs  to  be  strengthened.  Infrastructure 
investments are becoming more appealing as they can support initiatives that ensure a seamless 
project  pipeline  from  research  and  innovation  to  deployment.  The  Clean  Industrial  Deal 
highlights potential synergies between the Framework Programme for R&I and the Innovation 
Fund as an example. The improvement of synergies among a broader range of funding sources 
for technology infrastructures requires clarity and appropriate guidance on the applicable State 
aid rules. Increased understanding of how best to apply State aid rules across Member States 

10 

 
 
 
would  stimulate  cross-border  and  joint  investments.  The  Commission  could  facilitate  the 
exchange of experience and good practice among Member States by setting-up a Community 
of Practice and organising a mutual learning exercise.  

To strengthen the research and technology infrastructure capacities, the Joint Research Centre 
is  preparing  a  series  of  Flagship  projects  in  view  of  offering  scientists  from  academia  and 
research institutions, as well as from small businesses, industry, start-ups and scale-ups, further 
opportunities  to  develop  and  test  their  innovations  in  a  unique  research  and  technology 
infrastructure continuum with a European perspective. 

increase  capacities  and 

To 
in  European  research  and  technology 
infrastructures, the Commission will work jointly with Member States and stakeholders 
to: 

investments 

1.  Develop criteria for identifying technology infrastructures of European interest, 

in synergy with the ESFRI roadmap for research infrastructures. 

2.  Map and assess the research and technology infrastructures capacities in Europe in 
the context of global competition, policy priorities and user needs, and develop joint 
capacities investment roadmaps, identifying priority areas for targeted investments 
in a continuum from research infrastructures to technology infrastructures, including in 
EU-level sectoral initiatives. 

3.  Invest  in  building  and sustaining  critical  new  capacities  for  world-class  research 
and technology infrastructures in Europe, spearheaded by EU priorities, facilitating the 
implementation of strategic initiatives aimed at ensuring long-term global leadership. 

4.  Increase  funding  opportunities  for  research  and  technology  infrastructures  at  EU 
level and propose specific funding and financing models to encourage a more effective 
pooling of public and private funding for investments, leading to better exploitation 
of  existing  funding  frameworks,  while  also  addressing  the  need  to  reduce  regional 
disparities. 

To further strengthen pan-European research infrastructure capacities, the Commission 
will: 

5.  Provide a stable framework for maintaining and upgrading world-class research 
infrastructures by providing the support to the implementation of existing and new 
roadmaps  for  research  infrastructure  technologies,  responding  to  jointly  identified 
needs and commonalities across research infrastructures and, where applicable, across 
domains; support the roadmapping for new technology needs, taking into account 
aspects of digitalisation of operation, standardisation, interoperability, resilience and 
sustainability of research infrastructures.  

6.  Support  the  mapping  of  research  infrastructure  funding  sources  at  national, 
regional  and  EU  level  and  promote  synergies  among  complementary  funding 
instruments by promoting good practice and appropriate guidance; where applicable, 
explore adjusting the conditions and rules of EU funding instruments for combined 
and complementary funding, notably for research infrastructures regarded as essential 
infrastructures for EU operational or deployment programmes. 

7.  Propose  a  revision  of  the  ERIC  Regulation  on  specific  aspects  that  cannot  be 
addressed  by  revised  Practical  Guidelines  such  as  facilitating  the  participation  of 
international  partners, promoting  this legal  framework as a  reliable vehicle for joint 
investments. 

11 

 
 
To  improve  and  optimise  the  services  of  European  technology  infrastructure,  the 
Commission will work with Member States and stakeholders to:  

8.  Support  and 

implement  measures 

transnational  and  multisite 
collaboration  among  technology  infrastructures,  developing  coordinated  service 
offers in strategic technologies, including for defence, and promoting their visibility 
and uptake. 

facilitating 

Maximising the potential of digitalisation and AI in Europe’s infrastructures 

Digitalisation is not only transforming the way research is conducted; it is also transforming 
infrastructures. Research infrastructures generate vast amounts of reliable research data.  The 
efficient management, reuse and sharing of these data is essential to maximise their value for 
driving scientific progress, tackling global challenges and fuelling innovation and AI. 

The European Open Science Cloud  (EOSC), Europe’s Data Space for  R&I, is  developing a 
federation of data repositories and digital services of research infrastructures and other scientific 
service providers to provide researchers and innovators with a trusted platform for sharing and 
reusing high quality, FAIR research data, tools and services across disciplines and borders in 
Europe. 

The production of high-volume and high-value data and the use of novel digital technologies, 
including AI, in service provision can significantly increase the efficiency and accessibility of 
infrastructures  while  lowering  their  operational  costs  and  strengthening  security  and 
confidentiality.  Building  the  digital  capabilities  of  research  and  technology  infrastructures 
includes also computational modelling, digital twins and virtual/extended reality.  

Research and technology infrastructures can also play an important role to achieve the goals of 
the  European  Strategy  for  AI  in  the  Science  and  in  the  Resource  for  AI  Science  in  Europe 
(RAISE) contributing to the pooling of resources, data and computing capacity for accelerating 
the responsible use of AI in science.  

Moreover, issues related to the accessibility of certain categories of data for R&I purposes will 
be explored in the context of the upcoming ERA Act.  

The Commission, will work with Member States and stakeholders to: 

9.  Sustain  and  enhance the EOSC Federation as  Europe’s research and innovation 
data space, enabling sharing and reuse of high-quality, FAIR research data, scientific 
results and digital services. 

10. Support compliance with FAIR principles, increasing FAIR data productivity, and 

connections to EOSC and other relevant data spaces. 

11. Support the pooling and development of AI-ready research data as well as tools 
and  services  that  enable  the  development  of  scientific  AI  models,  and  their 
technological  applications,  accelerating  the  use  of  AI  in  science  and,  through  it, 
contributing to the pilot phase of RAISE. 

3.  BOLSTERING THE ACCESSIBILITY OF RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURES 

AS A CONTINUUM OF COMPLEMENTARY SERVICES 

Implementing the ‘fifth freedom’ requires progress towards a single market for research and 
technology infrastructures services in the EU. From the user and services perspective, the two 
types of infrastructure form a continuum of complementary facilities and services, which needs 

12 

 
 
to be increasingly reflected in access policy. However, research and technology infrastructures 
have been developed to serve different needs and hence different primary user communities.  

Transnational  access  to  research  infrastructures,  based  on  scientific  excellence,  has  been  a 
longstanding feature of successive EU R&I framework programmes. It enables researchers to 
use  cutting-edge  facilities  beyond  their  home  countries  –  a  cornerstone  of  the  ERA.  These 
schemes benefit less research-intensive countries greatly and thus help close the innovation gap, 
as Figure 4 shows. However, access remains fragmented and short-term. There is a need for 
more  sustainable  schemes,  greater  visibility  –  especially  for  distributed  ERICs  –  and  better 
outreach  to  new  communities  and  industry.  Consultations  highlight  the  importance  of 
expanding  remote  and  virtual  access,  and  of  developing  common  access  policies  and  user-
friendly, interoperable service catalogues. A long-term, one-stop-shop European access scheme 
would be transformative. 

Figure 4 shows transnational access to research infrastructures provided by Horizon 2020 projects 
normalised by the number of researchers in each country. Source: Research Executive Agency, 2025 

Technology infrastructure accessibility is primarily oriented towards industrial players, as they 
strive  to  meet  the  specific  needs  of  innovative  companies,  including  startups  and  scale-ups 
which often face uncertainties about their technological challenges.  

Industrial users, particularly SMEs and startups, can face significant barriers when accessing 
technology infrastructures, such as insufficient financial and human resources, asymmetry of 
information  and  cultural  barriers.  These  barriers  are  further  exacerbated  when  considering 
cross-regional  and,  in  particular,  transnational  access,  where  additional  language,  legal  and 
regulatory issues (e.g. import/export regulations for test samples) arise, while financial costs of 
access  usually  grow.  This  often  prevents  smaller  companies  from  using  the  technology 

13 

 
 
 
infrastructure services available to them, in particular in facilities located in other regions or 
countries. 

Figure 4 shows the percentage of companies (SMEs and start-ups on one side, larger enterprises on the other 
side) answering what are their main perceived barriers to access technology infrastructures. This survey collected 
328 answers. Source: User needs for technology infrastructures – Analytical report, Publications Office of the 
European Union, 2025 

Beyond  these  specific  access  needs,  the  synergies  between  the  services  of  research  and 
technology infrastructures remain largely underexploited, in some areas this significantly limits 
the benefits  they can bring to  EU researchers, innovators and companies. To optimise  these 
synergies, researchers and innovators need integrated and sustained access opportunities, with 
more  harmonised  conditions  and  procedures,  considering  needs  ranging  from  frontier  to 
interdisciplinary and applied research. 

As  part  of  the  EU  Startup  and  Scaleup  Strategy,  the  Commission  will  develop  a  Charter  of 
Access for industrial users to research and technology infrastructures to simplify and harmonise 
diverging access and contractual conditions. It will also provide guidance on applicable State 
aid rules for public research organisations that grant access to infrastructure. The Commission 
will  engage  in  promoting  the  uptake  of  the  Charter  among  research  and  technology 
infrastructures  as  well  as  national  funding  organisations.  Building  on  the  Charter,  the 
forthcoming  European  Innovation  Act  will  promote  the  access  of  innovative  companies  to 
European  research  and  technology  infrastructures  through  legislative  measures.  Thus,  the 
regulatory obstacles for SMEs, startups and scaleups will therefore be reduced, and synergies 
between infrastructures supporting research excellence and industrial competitiveness will be 
reinforced. 

14 

 
 
 
To  improve  and  simplify  access  to  research  and  technology  infrastructures,  the 
Commission will work with Member States and stakeholders to:  

12. Support the development of an integrated and sustainable scheme for access to 
state-of-the-art  research  infrastructures  of  European  interest,  offering  a  ‘one-
stop-shop’ for access to them, and to a single European portfolio of complementary 
and cross-domain R&I services of European interest, including AI assisted research 
infrastructure service navigation. 

13. Implement pilot access schemes to technology infrastructures for startups and 

scaleups, with the view to scaling-up future implementation. 

14. Test joint research and technology infrastructures transnational access schemes 
addressing  priority  areas  e.g.  advanced  materials,  clean  energy,  quantum 
technologies, AI or health and biotechnology. 

4.  ATTRACTING AND GROWING TALENT IN EUROPE 

Europe is home to world-class research and technology infrastructures that attract top talents 
from all over the globe. Organisations such as CERN, the Joint Research Centre, the European 
Molecular Biology Laboratory or Imec host scientists, engineers and innovators who come from 
over 100 different countries, making them global centres of excellence. As Europe faces a skills 
shortage, research and technology infrastructures have a key role to play in training of science 
and technology experts and in making Europe an attractive place for the best global talents in 
research and innovation. As a result, research and technology infrastructures can significantly 
contribute to the Choose Europe approach.  

The effectiveness of research and technology infrastructures and the quality of the services they 
provide  relies  on  a  blend  of  scientific,  technical  and  managerial  expertise  of  their  staff. 
Significant effort has already been made on the training of managerial and leadership staff in 
research  infrastructures,  including  through  development  of  an  EU-supported  Executive 
Master’s  programme.  These  actions  need  to  be  reinforced,  including  for  technology 
infrastructures, with the aim to strengthen the managerial and entrepreneurial skillset enabling 
better support for new users, notably non-expert users and users from industry, SMEs, startups 
and scaleups, and increasing resilience of the infrastructures.  

Moreover,  as  research  and  economic  security  become  increasingly  critical,  and  technology 
developments  faster,  continuous  training  of  technical  staff,  supported  by  staff  exchanges,  is 
necessary  to  ensure  the  robustness  of  the  tools  and  services  they  develop.  Where  relevant, 
opportunities  from  EU  Skills  Academies  and  Marie  Skłodowska-Curie  Actions  should  be 

15 

 
 
further exploited. Finaly, research and technology infrastructure staff, users and outputs should 
be promoted in research and researcher’s assessment.  

The Commission will: 

15. Develop  research  and  technology  infrastructures  strategies  for  attracting  talent 

from outside Europe, in line with the Choose Europe approach.  

16. Support the training of research infrastructure and technology infrastructure 
staff,  while  promoting  the  recognition  of  their  diverse  contributions  in  research 
assessment: (i) professionalising the training of managerial and leadership staff, 
(ii) improving skills and career profiles of technical staff to address evolving needs 
such as research security, data management, quality assurance, etc, (iii) promoting 
entrepreneurial skills to capture the potential of infrastructures as centres in deep-
tech innovation ecosystems, and (iv) establishing mechanisms for staff exchanges 
between infrastructures and organisations operating in innovation ecosystems. 

5. 

IMPROVING AND SIMPLIFYING THE GOVERNANCE FRAMEWORK OF THE RESEARCH AND 
TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURES ECOSYSTEM 

To strengthen the European ecosystem of research and technology infrastructures which allows 
us  to  identify  and  agree  on  European  priorities,  as  well  as  to  mobilise  and  align  strategic 
investments accordingly, an appropriate governance framework is needed, steering a holistic 
approach while recognising the different missions of research infrastructures and technology 
infrastructures  respectively.  The framework must notably consider the need for a stable and 
structural support to frontier and excellent research and a more challenge-driven approach for 
industrial competitiveness and deployment of strategic technologies.  

Strategic  planning  for  research  infrastructures  is  supported  by  the  EU-level  governance  of 
ESFRI,  which  should  be  further  consolidated  to  address  the  areas  with  most  fragmentation 
among  Member  States.  The  latest  ESFRI  Roadmap  includes  over  60  infrastructures 
representing over EUR 25 billion in investment, much of it expected in the coming years. The 
accompanying Landscape Analysis offers a detailed overview of the state, services, impact, and 
future  outlook  of  European  research  infrastructures.  ESFRI  also  shapes  national  research 
infrastructure planning, with many countries aligning their roadmaps with its methodologies13. 
As  most  ESFRI  infrastructures  are  distributed,  they  help  integrate  and  connect  numerous 
national facilities and services. 

Building on this, the strategy aims to further consolidate and streamline the European landscape 
of research infrastructures, and strengthening their governance, by promoting a more strategic 
landscape analysis and monitoring to better address European priorities and economic security 
needs, and to link to the work on technology infrastructures. 

Beyond specific digital technologies such as AI or Digital Twin for the Earth for example, there 
is  currently  no  coordination  mechanism  in  the  EU  to  facilitate  cooperation  and  dialogue  on 
technology  infrastructures  among  Member  States,  operators  and  stakeholders.  Setting  up  an 
effective  and  inclusive  multi-actor  governance  framework  is  necessary  to  identify  existing 

13 ESFRI roadmap: https://roadmap2021.esfri.eu/, ESFRI landscape analysis: 
https://www.esfri.eu/landscape_analysis, for national roadmaps: https://www.esfri.eu/national-roadmaps 

16 

 
 
 
 
 
service gaps  and new  strategic priorities  at  EU level in  order to  meet  industry needs  and  to 
facilitate coordinated investments in technology infrastructure, leveraging public and private 
funding  for  large-scale  upgrades  or  new  facilities.  A  robust  coordination  mechanism  will 
provide a platform for strategic, forward-looking reflection, mutual learning, development of 
common standards and monitoring of the implementation and outcomes of agreed actions. This 
work  will  be  done  in  cooperation  with  the  Research  Infrastructures  framework,  including 
ESFRI. 

The EU-level coordination mechanism for technology infrastructures needs to be supported by 
dedicated  national  strategies  leading  to  the  prioritisation  of  investments  and  robust  funding 
programmes.  

In the longer term, a light overarching EU coordination framework would help align research 
and technology infrastructures policies and streamlining investment and funding mechanisms, 
ensuring  synergies  across  the  entire  European  ecosystem  of  research  and  technology 
infrastructures while respecting their specific needs and objectives, and the specific domains 
and policy contexts they operate in. This framework should facilitate further convergence of 
the research and technology infrastructures governance. In parallel, coherence will be ensured 
with other European initiatives, with distinct governance frameworks, that provide capacity and 
infrastructure,  supporting  the  development,  uptake  and  deployment  of  digital  technologies14 
including beyond research and innovation.  

To strengthen the governance framework for research and technology infrastructures, 
the Commission will: 

17.  Propose  an  overarching  EU  coordination  framework  for  the  research  and 
technology infrastructures ecosystem steering a holistic, synergy-based approach, 
while  recognising  the  different  missions,  objectives  and  policy  contexts  of  these 
infrastructures 

18. Implement  a  governance  mechanism,  in  collaboration  with  Member  States  and 
stakeholders,  that  will  provide  a  common  framework  for  a  European  approach  to 
technology infrastructures. 

19.  Encourage  ESFRI,  to  engage  further  with  relevant  stakeholders  and  review  its 
landscape  analysis  methodology  and  long-term  vision  accordingly.  Propose 
indicators  to  assess  and  raise  awareness  on  the  strategic  relevance  of  ESFRI 
Landmarks  and  ERICs  or  of  their  services  according  to  EU  priorities,  including 
economic security.  

6.  STRENGTHENING  THE  INTERNATIONAL  DIMENSION  AND  RESILIENCE  OF  EUROPEAN 

RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURES  

The appeal of European research and technology infrastructures lies not only in their excellence, 
but also in their role as global cooperation hubs15. 

European research infrastructures are often engaged in international collaboration, especially 
in Big Science fields like astronomy and particle physics, where costs and expertise demand 
joint efforts – exemplified by the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project on radio astronomy. 

14 These include, among others, the European Digital Innovation Hubs, High Performance Computing capacities, 
AI Testing & Experimentation Facilities, as well as AI Factories and Gigafactories as presented in the AI 
Continent Action Plan. 
15 For more details see International Cooperation in the Research Infrastructure dimension - European 
Commission 

17 

 
 
 
Global cooperation is also vital for addressing challenges like environmental monitoring, where 
data gains value through global coverage, like in ocean observation16. These infrastructures act 
as  tools  of  science  diplomacy,  building  relationships  of  trust  with  regions  such  as  Latin 
America,  Africa,  and  the  Association  of  Southeast  Asian  Nations  (ASEAN).  This  form  of 
science  diplomacy  through  research  infrastructures  is  even  more  valuable  where  relations 
between partners are difficult in other fields, as the Synchrotron for Experimental Science and 
Applications in the Middle East (SESAME) synchrotron has shown.  

International connections become increasingly relevant for technology infrastructures as well, 
mirroring the global supply chains for the key technologies which they address. Supporting the 
international  cooperation  activities  in  research  and  technology  also  creates  opportunities  for 
European researchers and innovators to access world-class instruments and services in other 
world regions. 

At the same time, a rapidly changing geopolitical context calls for increasing the resilience of 
the European research and technology infrastructures ecosystem to ensure the EU's autonomy 
and control over its critical research and technology assets, including data and digital resources. 
In line with the ProtectEU Strategy adopted in 202517, this requires actions to address threats 
related to research and technology infrastructures considered as critical infrastructures for EU 
economic  security,  for  EU  strategic  interests,  including  in  the  critical  technology  areas18  of 
defence and space, and for key societal challenges such as global health, the transition towards 
a circular economy, energy and food security, climate change, biodiversity loss, and natural or 
anthropogenic hazards. Such threats can be related to shrinking geographical coverage, loss, 
leakage  or  interruption  of  critical  data,  limited  or  expensive  access  to  data,  equipment  or 
facilities, as well as to supply of resources and instruments. Access to technology infrastructures 
dealing with critical technologies needs to be carefully managed. 

The integration of candidate countries and potential candidates as well as associated countries 
in the ERA is also a key element of the resilience of the research and technology infrastructures. 
Ukraine,  in  this  context,  deserve  specific  support.  An  assessment  of  the  state  of  research 
infrastructures in  Ukraine is  ongoing  while an assessment  of technology  infrastructures  will 
start shortly. The EU should support Ukrainian authorities in their strategic efforts to develop 
and  reconstruct  their  R&I  capabilities  and  increase  collaboration  and  networking  with  other 
European research and technology infrastructures. 

16 As pan-European research infrastructures contribute towards the aims and objectives of the European Ocean 
Pact https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=comnat:COM_2025_0281_FIN. 
17 https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/news/commission-presents-protecteu-internal-security-strategy-2025-04-
01_en 
18 Commission Recommendation (EU) 2023/2113 of 3 October 2023 on critical technology areas for the EU’s 
economic security for further risk assessment with Member States 

18 

 
 
 
 
To strengthen European research and technology infrastructures in the international 
arena, the Commission will work with Member States to: 

20. Strengthen 

the 

international  dimension  of  pan-European 

research 
infrastructures  and  their  role  for  science  diplomacy  notably  through  enlarging 
geographical  coverage  in  high-priority  scientific  fields,  promoting  European 
standards  and  approaches  to  access,  data  management  and  open  science  globally, 
promoting  reciprocal  access  for  EU  researchers,  facilitating  exchange  of  best 
practices, while ensuring the appropriate levels of security/confidentiality. 

21. Develop actions to support: (i) the implementation of risk management, mitigation 
and  contingency  measures  for  infrastructures,  (ii)  aligning  and  coordinating 
investments across Europe for trusted and secure storage, processing and sharing 
of  critical  data  including  through  EOSC,  and  (iii)  the  development  of  data 
sovereignty frameworks for secure and efficient data sharing. These will also benefit 
by  cooperating  with  the  EU  Observatory  on  Critical  Technologies  and  relevant 
research security initiatives of the Protect EU strategy. 

22. Promote  the  integration  of  candidate  countries,  potential  candidate  and 
associated  countries,  with  a  focus  on  Ukraine,  into  the  ERA,  by  supporting 
cooperation  among  research  and  technology  infrastructures,  and  their  host 
organisations,  and  by  facilitating  access  to  European  research  and  technology 
infrastructures where appropriate. 

7.  CONCLUSION 

Europe’s world-class research and technology  infrastructures are key strategic assets for the 
ERA.  They  support  excellence  from  fundamental  research  to  breakthrough  innovation, 
underpinning European technological and data sovereignty and strategic autonomy.  

The strategy aims to increase European competitiveness by strengthening its position as a global 
leader  in  science,  technology,  and  innovation.  To  achieve  this  in  a  fast-evolving  global 
landscape,  Europe must  take a holistic ecosystem  approach to  common  challenges  faced by 
research  and  technology  infrastructures,  while  also  committing  to  actions  addressing  their 
specific needs.  

Implementing the strategy would boost European infrastructure capacities through  increased 
investments and new funding models, new infrastructure technology developments, adoption 
of digital technologies and AI, and boosting skills. It will improve, secure and harmonise access 
to infrastructure services, strengthen governance, and strengthen their international dimension, 
including achieving critical data sovereignty, while protecting European assets.  

The Commission will regularly report on implementation of the strategy to the Parliament and 
the Council. 

19 

 
 
 
Annex 1. Timeline for implementation of actions 

Action 

Starting 

Increasing capacities and mobilising investment 

1.  Develop criteria for identifying technology infrastructures of European interest, in synergy 

with the ESFRI roadmap for research infrastructures 

2.  Map and assess the research and technology infrastructures capacities in Europe in the 

context of global competition, policy priorities and user needs, and develop joint capacities 
investment roadmaps, identifying priority areas for targeted investments in a continuum from 
research infrastructures to technology infrastructures, including in EU-level sectoral initiatives. 

3.  Invest in building and sustaining critical new capacities for world-class research and technology 
infrastructures in Europe, spearheaded by EU priorities, facilitating the implementation of strategic 
initiatives aimed at ensuring long-term global leadership. 

4.  Increase funding opportunities for research and technology infrastructures at EU level and 

propose specific funding and financing models to encourage a more effective pooling of public 
and private funding for investments, leading to better exploitation of existing funding 
frameworks, while also addressing the need to reduce regional disparities. 

5.  Provide a stable framework for maintaining and upgrading world-class research 

infrastructures by providing the support to the implementation of existing and new roadmaps 
for research infrastructure technologies, responding to jointly identified needs and commonalities 
across research infrastructures and, where applicable, across domains; support the roadmapping 
for new technology needs, taking into account aspects of digitalisation of operation, 
standardisation, interoperability, resilience and sustainability of research infrastructures 

6.  Support the mapping of research infrastructure funding sources at national, regional and EU 
level  and  promote  synergies  among  complementary  funding  instruments  by  promoting  good 
practice and appropriate guidance; where applicable, explore adjusting the conditions and rules of 
EU  funding  instruments  for  combined  and  complementary  funding,  notably  for  research 
infrastructures  regarded  as  essential  infrastructures  for  EU  operational  or  deployment 
programmes. 

7.  Propose a revision of the ERIC Regulation on specific aspects that cannot be addressed by 
revised Practical Guidelines such as facilitating the participation of international partners, 
promoting this legal framework as a reliable vehicle for joint investments. 

8.  Support and implement measures facilitating transnational and multisite collaboration among 
technology infrastructures, developing coordinated service offers in strategic technologies, 
including for defence, and promoting their visibility and uptake. 

Maximising the potential of digitalisation and AI 

9.  Sustain and enhance the EOSC Federation as Europe’s research and innovation data space, 

enabling sharing and reuse of high-quality, FAIR research data, scientific results and digital 
services. 

10.  Support compliance with FAIR principles, increasing FAIR data productivity, and connections 

to EOSC and other relevant data spaces. 

11.  Support the pooling and development of AI-ready research data as well as tools and services 
that enable the development of scientific AI models, and their technological applications, 
accelerating the use of AI in science and, through it, contributing to the pilot phase of RAISE. 

2025 

2026 

2027 

2026 

2025 

2025 

2026 

2026 

2025 

2025 

2025 

20 

 
 
Bolstering accessibility 

12.  Support the development of an integrated and sustainable scheme for access to state-of-the-

art research infrastructures of European interest, offering a ‘one-stop-shop’ for access to them, 
and to a single European portfolio of complementary and cross-domain R&I services of European 
interest, including AI assisted research infrastructure service navigation. 

13. Implement pilot access schemes to technology infrastructures for startups and scaleups, with 

the view to scaling-up future implementation. 

14.  Test joint research and technology infrastructures transnational access schemes addressing 
priority areas e.g. advanced materials, clean energy, quantum technologies, AI or health and 
biotechnology. 

Attracting and growing talent 

15.  Develop research and technology infrastructures strategies for attracting talent from outside 

Europe, in line with the Choose Europe approach. 

16.  Support the training of research infrastructure and technology infrastructure staff, while 

promoting the recognition of their diverse contributions in research assessment 

Improving and simplifying the governance framework 

17.  Propose an overarching EU coordination framework for the research and technology 

infrastructures ecosystem steering a holistic, synergy-based approach, while recognising the 
different missions, objectives and policy contexts of these infrastructures. 

18.  Implement a governance mechanism, in collaboration with Member States and stakeholders, 

that will provide a common framework for a European approach to technology infrastructures 

19.  Encourage ESFRI to engage further with relevant stakeholders and review its landscape analysis 

methodology and long-term vision accordingly. Propose indicators to assess and raise 
awareness on the strategic relevance of ESFRI Landmarks and ERICs or of their services 
according to EU priorities, including economic security. 

Strengthening the international dimension and resilience 

20.  Strengthen the international dimension of pan-European research infrastructures and their 
role for science diplomacy notably through enlarging geographical coverage in high-priority 
scientific fields, promoting European standards and approaches to access, data management and 
open science globally, promoting reciprocal access for EU researchers, facilitating exchange of 
best practices, while ensuring the appropriate levels of security/confidentiality. 

21. Develop actions to support: (i) the implementation of risk management, mitigation and 

contingency measures for infrastructures, (ii) aligning and coordinating investments across 
Europe for trusted and secure storage, processing and sharing of critical data including through 
EOSC, and (iii) the development of data sovereignty frameworks for secure and efficient data 
sharing. These will also benefit by cooperating with the EU Observatory on Critical Technologies 
and relevant research security initiatives of the Protect EU strategy. 

22.  Promote the integration of candidate countries potential candidate and associated countries, 

with a focus on Ukraine, into the ERA, by supporting cooperation among research and 
technology infrastructures, and their host organisations, and by facilitating access to European 
research and technology infrastructures where appropriate. 

2025 

2026 

2027 

2026 

2026 

2026 

2026 

2025 

2025 

2025 

2025 

21