The document discusses a proposal for the European Physical Society (EPS) Committee for European Integration to foster the formation of consortia between small and medium European countries to gain access to major European research infrastructures. Small countries cannot afford the high membership fees to use these facilities. The EPS would contact relevant research infrastructures, governments, and national physical societies to encourage the formation of interest groups and emerging consortia. A work plan is outlined to catalyze this process between 2013 and 2016.

1. 1 of 9
- Committee of European Integration
Kick-off meeting, Vrnjačka Banja, 28 April 2013
INARIEINARIE
Integrating Access to Research Infrastructures in Europe
Dénes Lajos Nagy
Wigner Research Centre for Physics
Hungarian Academy of Sciences
Budapest
EPS Committee for European Integration
Vrnjačka Banja, 28 April 2013

2. 2 of 9
- Committee of European Integration
Kick-off meeting, Vrnjačka Banja, 28 April 2013
The issueThe issue
• Major European research infrastructures (RI) in
physical and engineering sciences (ESRF, ILL,
ESO, European XFEL, FAIR, etc.) can be
basically used by full or associate members.
• As a rule, the condition of membership is a
minimum contribution of 1–4 % of the RI budget.
• Small and medium-size countries cannot afford
paying the high membership fee → their
scientists are handicapped in using the best
European RIs.

3. 3 of 9
- Committee of European Integration
Kick-off meeting, Vrnjačka Banja, 28 April 2013
Way out: forming consortiaWay out: forming consortia
• Consortia of shareholders from small and
medium-size countries may be able to meet the
condition of the minimum membership fee.
Examples:
Centralsync (CZ–HU–SK to ESRF)
CENI (AT–CZ–HU–SK to ILL)
• Consortia can only be formed in a troublesome
bottom-up process; however, governments are
interested in big and spectacular targeted
actions.

4. 4 of 9
- Committee of European Integration
Kick-off meeting, Vrnjačka Banja, 28 April 2013
Aim of the proposed actionAim of the proposed action
Fostering the formation of
consortia of governmental
shareholders from small and
medium-size countries to the best
European RIs in physical and
engineering sciences

5. 5 of 9
- Committee of European Integration
Kick-off meeting, Vrnjačka Banja, 28 April 2013
ActorsActors
• Major European RIs
interested in users
not able to organise consortia
• Potential users of RIs
interested in using RIs
not necessarily able to organise their interest groups
that may convince governments
• Governments
interested in increasing competitiveness by targeted
actions
reluctant about managing small and complicated
structures like consortia

6. 6 of 9
- Committee of European Integration
Kick-off meeting, Vrnjačka Banja, 28 April 2013
How may EPS act?How may EPS act?
• EPS and the national physical societies may
catalyse forming consortia
• EPS may contact
major European RIs
governments
national physical societies
• National physical societies may contact
potential users, encouraging them to form their
interest groups
governments
EPS

7. 7 of 9
- Committee of European Integration
Kick-off meeting, Vrnjačka Banja, 28 April 2013
Work planWork plan
• Forming the EPS CEI INARIE subgroup: asap
• Elaborating a detailed action plan including
tasks, actors and resources: until October 2013
• Identifying and contacting the RIs concerned:
until December 2013
• Contacting national physical societies: until
December 2013
• Fostering national interest groups to the
identified RIs by national physical societies
(when appropriate): until May 2014

8. 8 of 9
- Committee of European Integration
Kick-off meeting, Vrnjačka Banja, 28 April 2013
Work planWork plan
• Meetings of representatives of the national
interest groups to a given RI — seeds of
emerging consortia: September 2014 to May
2015
• EPS contacts the RIs: January to December
2015
• EPS contacts the governments: September to
December 2015
• EPS CEI INARIE report: February 2016

9. 9 of 9
- Committee of European Integration
Kick-off meeting, Vrnjačka Banja, 28 April 2013
Thank you for yourThank you for your
attention!attention!
EPS Committee for European Integration
Vrnjačka Banja, 28 April 2013

10. 9 of 9
- Committee of European Integration
Kick-off meeting, Vrnjačka Banja, 28 April 2013
Thank you for yourThank you for your
attention!attention!
EPS Committee for European Integration
Vrnjačka Banja, 28 April 2013