Project results are expected to contribute to several of the following expected outcomes:

• better structured, integrated and strengthened European research infrastructure landscape;
• solid concepts and/or comprehensive plans for the integrated research infrastructures, to support decision making at national and European level, leading to increased sustainability, operational and financial efficiency;
• increased synergies between research infrastructures;
• increased capacity to address EU policy priorities and/or support EU industry;
• reinforced global competitiveness and attractiveness of the European Research Area.

Scope:

This topic targets the consolidation and improved functioning of the EU RI landscape through the support to the development of complementarities, synergies and/or integration between a set (two or more) of ESFRI Landmarks and/or other European Research Infrastructure Consortia (ERICs) or, if duly justified, between one ESFRI Landmark or ERIC and other European research infrastructures of European interest^[1].

Proposals could address either a tighter operational integration between infrastructures, or instead the feasibility and the planning of a merging between infrastructures, which could be targeted in future by a specific topic. The rationale and the potential benefits of the planned consolidation action should be clearly spelled out in the proposals.

When addressing an operational integration, projects will develop complementarities and/or synergies between infrastructures, at thematic and/or cross-disciplinary level, to optimise the functioning of the RI landscape. The development of complementarities (e.g. through service level agreements for the sharing of horizontal/common services/tools, including external ones) should lead to increased efficiency and prevent unnecessary duplications. Synergies should be exploited to address complex research challenges and EU priorities and should be implemented through cooperation mechanisms ensuring sustainable and long-term integration of services and resources (e.g. common horizontal services, joint scientific services). The needed joint staff skill development, including exchange programmes among the participating RIs, could also be supported.

When addressing a merging between infrastructures, proposals should provide evidence that the project will effectively involve the funders of the different infrastructures, develop the concept of the merged infrastructure in all its dimensions, including governance, legal form and operation, and define the operational steps and the financial forecast for the actual merging process. Where relevant, pilots for the integration of services and resources (e.g. common horizontal services, joint scientific services) as well as joint staff skill development, including exchange programmes will also be supported.

Proposals should explain any synergies and complementarities with previous or current EU grants notably under the research infrastructures part of the Horizon Europe work programme^[2].

[1] A research infrastructure is of European interest when it is able to attract users from EU or associated countries other than the country where the infrastructure is located.

[2] Such as under topic HORIZON-INFRA-2023-DEV-01-04: Consolidation of the RI landscape – development of complementarities, synergies and/or integration between a set of pan- European research infrastructures https://cordis.europa.eu/programme/id/HORIZON_HORIZON-INFRA-2023-DEV-01-04/en