On 25 March, the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC) Tripartite Governance convened in Krakow to discuss key developments in the sharing of research data and digital resources across Europe, and the next steps towards achieving a consensus regarding the overall model and sustainability of EOSC beyond 2027.
The topics under discussion included the review of the build-up phase of the EOSC Federation, the publication of the EOSC Federation Handbook, and the contribution of EOSC as a key pillar of a "fifth freedom" for research and innovation in the EU single market, underscoring its role in driving European research and innovation capacity and competitiveness.
Building up the EOSC Federation
On 17-18 March, 75 representatives from Europe’s key research infrastructures, scientific service providers, national initiatives and the EOSC EU Node consortia convened in Brussels to initiate the build-up phase of the EOSC Federation.
This meeting marked yet another milestone for the development of EOSC as a pan-European system of systems, providing tangible benefits to its nodes and real added-value services to researchers.
The representatives presented a wealth of inspiring use cases that they plan to implement in the EOSC Federation. This is a positive signal of the many ways in which the EOSC Federation can provide benefits to them and, ultimately, benefit EOSC users.
The participating organisations are now using the results of the workshop to revise their planned activities and start the implementation of priority actions, with the next progress checkpoint scheduled for June 2025.
A comprehensive guide for joining the EOSC Federation
The EOSC Federation handbook, an essential guide for organisations interested in joining the EOSC Federation, has been finalised and will be published in the coming days. The handbook provides practical guidance on key components such as architecture, governance, operations, and policies of the EOSC Federation.
Over 40 volunteers from the community contributed to crafting the handbook, ensuring it is a comprehensive and representative resource for future nodes and service providers.
Opinion of the EOSC Steering Board
The EOSC Steering Board, an expert group composed of representatives from EU Member States and countries associated to the Horizon Europe programme, highlighted the role of EOSC as a key pillar of a "fifth freedom" for research and innovation in the Single Market. In its opinion paper, the Board underlined EOSC's role in driving innovation, economic growth, and competitiveness across Europe, and provided its recommendations as regards the role of the EOSC in the future.
EOSC as a key player for European research, competitiveness and innovation capacity
The EOSC tripartite governance discussed the development of a strengthened ‘policy narrative’ for EOSC to support policymakers and stakeholders in contextualising the role of EOSC within European and national agendas, considering current political and policy developments.
The policy narrative for EOSC highlights the central role of EOSC in Europe's research and innovation strategy, contributing to key priorities, such as enhancing capacity for innovation, research productivity, and scientific and technological leadership; digital and data sovereignty; and research security. By fostering a collaborative, secure, efficient, and trusted research environment, EOSC drives breakthrough innovation, while advancing the Open Science movement.
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Details
- Publication date
- 26 March 2025
- Author
- Directorate-General for Research and Innovation