European Research Infrastructure Consortium

A European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ERIC) is a full juridical person and a corporation under European Union law. With a membership of at least one European Union member state and two EU member or associated states, it has legal personality and full legal capacity recognized in all Member States. Currently there are 25 ERICs established.^[1]

The primary objective of an ERIC is to establish and operate, through its Members, a research infrastructure [de] of European importance on a non-economic basis. In order to promote innovation and knowledge and technology transfer, the ERIC should be allowed to carry out some limited economic activities if they are closely related to its principal task and they do not jeopardize its achievement.^[2]

Membership[edit]

The members of an ERIC may be Member States, associated countries, third countries other than associated countries and intergovernmental organizations. Further Member or Associated states, third countries or intergovernmental organisations may become members or observers without voting rights.^[3]

Aware of the constant enlargement of the community, the existing ERICs formed in 2017 the ERIC Forum in order to further strengthen the coordination among ERICs and interact effectively with the EC to achieve the full implementation of the ERIC regulation.

Services[edit]

ERIC is a meeting point for scientists and researchers across Europe. ERIC consortium is an interchange of knowledge and publications; a hub of the scientific results achieved; a scientific infrastructure shared across national states with resources and technology.^[4] The ERIC consortium provides a network of relations between scientists from various countries, and between scientists and industries in the field of research. In this context, a high-level school funded directly by the European Commission has been set up to train new generations of European Researchers to lead Research Infrastructures and to create a single European scientific community. ^[5]

Legal framework[edit]

The Community legal framework for a European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ERIC) entered into force on 28 August 2009, with the Council Regulation (EC) n. 723/2009. This specific legal form is designed to facilitate the joint establishment and operation of Research Infrastructures of European interest.