Regional Issues Working Group

ESFRI is working to develop a coherent view on regional issues associated with European Research Infrastructures (indeed, the Roadmap for Research Infrastructures opens opportunities to involve and exploit the potential for scientific excellence and technological growth of the convergence and outermost regions through their involvement in the construction and access to new infrastructures, also by setting-up parts of distributed infrastructures or Regional Partner Facilities or attracting the sitting of some larger multidisciplinary infrastructure).

ESFRI set up a working group with the following aims:

• Take stock of experiences in different regions showing not only the impact of what has been achieved but also the process taken to arrive to such results;
• Evaluate the general development of the EU regional RI landscape, and in particular the participation of the "newer" Member States in RI activities at pan-European level – as well as associated countries - and on their commitments to the development of new RIs (or major upgrades);
• Reflect on the use of "Structural Funds" for attracting and realizing new research infrastructures or upgrading of existing ones (for example Regional Partner Facilities in these countries);
• Reflect on the possible use of related Community actions;
• Reflect on the “long term sustainability” issues of maintaining and upgrading of the facilities
• Examine proposed examples and/or initiatives forwarded by ESFRI delegations;
• Stimulate debate on best practice issues for coordination of efforts;
• Report to and advise ESFRI on the best process to stimulate identified needed actions.

The method of working should allow the group to communicate with the community in the most appropriate way, in order to gather all the necessary information and assure the effectiveness of the process.

The WG may seek independent scientific, technical or socio-economic advice, making use, as necessary, of existing bodies and/or specific experts; the work can be pursued also through specific workshops, to help widening the debate and bringing issues forward.

During the Conference on the Regional Dimension of Research Infrastructures held in Prague on 24-25 March 2009, the ESFRI Regional Issues Working Group (led by Nadezda Witzanyova) presented its Report for 2008 ( 479 KB) .

During the 28th meeting of the Forum held in Prague in March 2008, ESFRI agreed that the Regional Working Group shall continue during the period 2009-2010.

Anneliese Stoklaska (AT) was chosen to lead this new group.