On April 13, the Swiss Federal Council submitted to the Parliament a dispatch on Switzerland’s access to EPOS ERIC and five other research infrastructure networks.
The membership status in EPOS ERIC will allow researchers from Swiss universities and research institutions to exploit the full potential of international cooperation and help to improve the comparability and availability of data. Currently, Switzerland has the observer status in eight research infrastructure networks with the legal form European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ERIC), including EPOS ERIC.
In addition to the membership in EPOS ERIC, the Federal Council is seeking membership in the following networks: Biobanking and Biomolecular Resources Research Infrastructure, Consortium of European Social Science Data Archives, Digital Research Infrastructure for the Arts and Humanities, European Clinical Research Infrastructure Network and Integrated Carbon Observation System
To simplify the process for Switzerland to access ERIC research infrastructure networks going forward, the Federal Council has also proposed an amendment to the Federal Act on the Promotion of Research and Innovation (RIPA). This would give the Federal Council powers to decide on joining ERIC research infrastructures, as is the case with regard to international research infrastructures with different legal forms.
To read the press release from the Federal Council, visit this page.
