ESFRI roadmap 2026

4 Feb 2025
27 Feb 2025 at 12.00 Finnish time
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ESFRI roadmap 2026: Guidelines for Finnish proposals

The development of research infrastructures is a key objective of EU research policy. ESFRI, the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures, promotes European research infrastructure policy by bringing together representatives of the European Commission and EU Member States and associated countries.

An essential part of this cooperation is the efficient utilisation and development of existing research infrastructures and the design and construction of new international-level research infrastructures. ESFRI projects require major investments in the construction phase and long-term financial commitment also in the future. The cooperation has contributed to building a significant number of high-quality research infrastructures in Europe, enabling new research issues to be solved and increasing our understanding of the environment and society.

In support of the development work, ESFRI has drawn up a total of six roadmaps between 2006 and 2021 for research infrastructure projects that are of key future importance.

ESFRI has launched the ESFRI Roadmap Update 2026, a two-year process (2025 and 2026) that will lead to the creation of an updated ESFRI roadmap. The new roadmap is set to be published in late 2026.

Each member state will submit its own proposals for new projects to be selected for the ESFRI roadmap. Proposals on planned infrastructures must have the support of both the funder/s and the relevant ministry. Based on the proposals, the Finnish Research Infrastructure Committee at the Research Council of Finland will deliver a proposal to the relevant ministry on projects central to Finland to be submitted to the roadmap.

Detailed instructions on the ESFRI Roadmap Update process are available on the ESFRI website. Please read the instructions very carefully.

Finland’s national application process

  1. The Finnish Research Infrastructure Committee will open a national call for proposals on projects to be included in the ESFRI roadmap.
  2. The FIRI Committee will assess the proposals based on, for example, Finland’s national roadmap, ESFRI’s criteria and the expressions of financial commitment (EoC) issued by the Finnish research organisations.
  3. The FIRI Committee will prepare recommendations on Finland’s participation in the project proposals. If Finland is to be the lead country for the roadmap proposal, the full ESFRI proposal will be sent to ESFRI through Finland’s ESFRI delegates on behalf of the other participating countries. The FIRI Committee will also draw up recommendations to the relevant ministries on the so-called expressions of political support required of Finland. The expressions of support concern both the research infrastructure proposals in which Finland is involved and those in which Finland is the lead country.
  4. The Finnish ESFRI delegates will submit the presentations in which Finland participates via ESFRI’s online system by 8 April 2025.

Application guidelines

Only research infrastructures related to research infrastructures that are on the national roadmap can apply.

Proposals are invited in two categories:

  • proposals where Finland is the lead country
  • proposals where Finnish research infrastructures are involved.

The proposals must include the following information:

Free-form proposal (up to 3 pages, in English) that includes the following information:

  • which European research infrastructure is concerned and what links it has to the Finnish national roadmap for research infrastructures
  • the lead Finnish organisation for the application and the national coordinator
  • a list of Finnish organisations committed to the research infrastructure that will submit an expression of financial commitment (EoC)
  • Finland’s scientific and operational responsibilities and opportunities in European cooperation; specify the role of Finnish organisations
  • the added value European research infrastructure cooperation in this field will bring to research, education, business cooperation and/or society in Finland
  • Finland’s financial responsibilities.

Obligatory appendices

  • Draft roadmap proposal to be sent to ESFRI
  • Expressions of financial commitment (EoC) from the Finnish organisations (draft versions, if necessary). The final, signed EoCs (with the title “ESFRI Roadmap Update 2026”)must be delivered to the Research Council of Finland’s Registrar’s Office by 17 March 2025.
  • Draft Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to be sent to ESFRI.

Please submit all proposals by email to the Research Council of Finland’s Registrar’s Office at kirjaamo@aka.fi by 27 February 2025 at 12.00. Proposals must be titled “ESFRI Roadmap Update 2026”. The deadline is non-negotiable.

Processing schedule

The FIRI Committee will discuss the proposals on 27 March 2025.

The Committee will decide on the recommendations of roadmap proposals to the relevant ministries and on the issuance of expressions of financial commitment (EoC). The ministries in turn will make their own decisions on supporting the proposals and issuing expressions of political support (EoS).

After the FIRI Committee’s examination, the applicants concerned will be informed of the outcome.

The Finnish ESFRI delegates shall verify the proposals in which Finland participates via ESFRI’s online system by 8 April 2025.

Inquiries

  • Contact us primarily via the helpdesk (select ‘Application guidance, thematic calls’).
  • Merja Särkioja, Secretary General, tel. +358 295 335 111, firstname.lastname(at)aka.fi
  • Marjut Kaukolehto, Science Adviser, tel. +358 295 335 169, firstname.lastname(at)aka.fi

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