The European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI) was created in 2002 by the European Council with the aim of developing a common approach to European policies on research infrastructure, which is considered a key element in building the European Research Area. Since then, ESFRI has become a strategic instrument in defining policies and facilitating multilateral initiatives, leading to better development and use of these research infrastructures at European and international levels.
Its work has strengthened Europe's global leadership in this field by mobilising joint investments at regional, national and European levels.
Europe now has at its disposal a rich landscape of research infrastructures covering all scientific domains, with more than 50 pan-European facilities drawing on nearly €20 billion of joint investments.
ESFRI's main instrument is its roadmap, whose methodology is used extensively. Since publishing its first roadmap in 2006, further editions have been issued in 2008, 2010, 2016 and 2018. Work is currently underway on the production of the 2021 Roadmap.
Spain participates in 21 of the 37 landmarks, infrastructures implemented and operational or in the final stages of construction, grouped by scientific domain:
- Digital (1): PRACE.
- Health and Food (7): EATRIS-ERIC, ECRIN-ERIC, ELIXIR, EMBRC-ERIC, EU-OPENSCREEN-ERIC, EuroBioimaging-ERIC e INSTRUCT-ERIC.
- Environment (4): LifeWatch-ERIC, EMSO-ERIC, Euro-Argo-ERIC e ICOS-ERIC.
- Physics and engineering (8): CTA, ELT (ESO), ESRF-EBS, European Spallation Source-ERIC, HL-LHC, ILL y SKA.
- Social sciences (1): ESS-ERIC.