Specific Challenge:
High-quality, accessible research infrastructures are at the heart of the knowledge triangle of research, education and innovation. They enable tens of thousands of researchers in academia and industry to develop innovative ideas, products and services that foster European competitiveness and help tackle societal challenges facing our continent. However, ensuring the availability of state-of-the-art facilities requires multi-billion Euro long-term investments across the European Research Area. In the context of implementing the ERA Roadmap, the focus of this action is to set the conditions for effective investment and optimise the use of research infrastructures of European interest.
In line with the strategy for EU international cooperation in research and innovation (COM(2012)497), international cooperation for research infrastructures is needed with a number of key partners located in third countries/regions seen as strategic both for the development, exploitation and management of world-class research infrastructures and for ensuring the necessary complementarities on the international scene required to address research challenges with a global dimension by optimising the use of the available resources.
Scope:
Proposals will address one of the following sub-topics:
Research and Innovation actions for the 2019 deadline
The purpose of this sub-topic is to support the further structuring of the cooperation with the Russian Federation in the Research Infrastructure domain.
Proposals will have to demonstrate the involvement of relevant entities on both European and Russian side and will cover the following 3 dimensions:
i. Building on the strategic recommendations deriving from the CREMLIN project, support the strengthening of the complementarity between Russian Mega Science initiatives and their European counterparts. Proposals will specifically address:
ii. Contribute to overcoming the barriers that prevent European scientists from accessing Russian Research Infrastructures of European interest. The project will support Russian Facilities in setting-up the appropriate access conditions and cover the travel and subsistence costs that European researchers would sustain in accessing the facilities. In this context, the project will have to also take into account the list of Research Infrastructures open to International collaboration produced by the Russian Federation and the European Charter for Access to research infrastructures.
iii. The proposal will develop a staff exchange programme and thematic courses and workshops (e.g. summer schools), aimed at fostering exchanges of best practices on management practices, access procedures and scientific collaboration between infrastructure Staff and Scientists belonging to both the Russian Federation and European Union.
The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU of up to EUR 25 million would allow this activity to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.
Coordination and support actions for the 2019 deadline
Actions under this sub-topic, in line with the EU-CELAC SOM[2]strategic approach[3], will concretely build on the outputs of the newly established EU-CELAC Research Infrastructure Working Group, and will:
Under this sub-topic, legal entities established in Brazil and Mexico are eligible for funding from the Union.
The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU of up to EUR 1.5 million would allow this activity to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.
Expected Impact:
Research and Innovation actions for the 2019 deadline
Coordination and Support actions for the 2019 deadline