The European Strategic Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI) was established in 2002 by the European Council with the aim of developing a common approach to European policies on research infrastructures, which are considered a fundamental element in the construction of the European Research Area. Since then, ESFRI has become a strategic instrument in defining policies and facilitating multilateral initiatives that lead to a better development and use of these research infrastructures at European and international level.
His work has strengthened Europe’s global leadership in this field by mobilising common investments at regional, national and European level.
Europe now has at its disposal a rich panorama of research infrastructures covering all scientific domains, with more than 50 pan-European facilities mobilising around EUR 20 billion of common investments.
The main instrument of ESFRI is its Roadmap, whose methodology is widely used. Since its first Roadmap in 2006, new editions have been published in 2008, 2010, 2016 and 2018. Currently, work is being done on the production of the Roadmap 2021.
Of the 37 landmarks, infrastructures implemented and operational or in the last stages of construction, Spain participates in 21, which grouped by scientific domain are:
- Digital (1): PRACE.
- Health & Food (7): EATRIS-ERIC, ECRIN-ERIC, ELIXIR, EMBRC-ERIC, EU-OPENSCREE ERIC, EuroBioimaging ERIC and INSTRUCT-ERIC.
- Environment (4): LifeWatch-ERIC, EMSO-ERIC, Euro-Argo-ERIC and ERIC.
Physics and engineering (8): CTA, ELT (ESO), ESRF-EBS, European Spallation Source-ERIC, HL-LHC, ILL and SKA.
Social sciences (1): ESS-ERIC.