The Commission has adopted a Charter of Access for Industrial Users to Research and Technology Infrastructures to speed up and simplify companies’ access to Europe’s world-class infrastructures. By putting forward a set of six principles, to be voluntarily endorsed by infrastructures, this initiative aims to help companies to better access infrastructures’ cutting-edge services, ranging from advanced laboratories to large scientific instruments, pilot lines and more.
This will help companies to test their products in state-of-the-art environments, bringing them to the market more quickly, thereby contributing to Europe’s innovation and competitiveness, in line with the EU Startup and Scaleup Strategy.
Ekaterina Zaharieva, Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation, said:
“Innovative companies in Europe need cutting-edge infrastructures to develop and test ideas and bring their innovations to the market more quickly. This new guidance, presented in the form of a Charter, is seeking to reinforce Europe’s research and technology infrastructures by creating better access conditions and tailored services for companies. This accelerates innovation and strengthens Europe’s competitiveness. I invite research and technology infrastructures to endorse the Charter and champion its principles.”
Faster and easier access to world-class services
Companies rely on research and technology infrastructures to develop, test and validate new technologies, products and services, before bringing them to the market. However, information on the availability and access conditions of relevant services is often still limited, impacting especially small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), startups and scaleups.
The Charter seeks to break down these barriers. By endorsing the Charter, infrastructures will help companies to commercialise their innovations faster and easier, shortening the journey from idea to market. Additionally, making infrastructure services more visible and accessible provides a strong incentive to ‘Choose Europe’ as the top destination for developing and commercialising breakthrough innovations.
The Charter’s six key principles are designed to improve the access conditions for businesses to research and technology infrastructures:
- Increased visibility and availability of services
- Transparency and quality of services
- Simplified contract and agreement procedures
- Safe intellectual property management
- Tailored support to companies
- Cooperation between infrastructures and access to data
Endorsing and promoting the Charter
Research and technology infrastructures are invited to endorse the Charter here and join the many leading research and innovation organisations already committed to its principles.
To support the uptake and implementation of the Charter, the Commission has launched an outreach campaign including a series of webinars, events and an open repository for good practices. Organisations interested in submitting their best practices are invited to do so through the website.
Background
The Charter of Access for Industrial Users to Research and Technology Infrastructures is an action stemming from the EU Startup and Scaleup Strategy, which aims to make the EU the best place in the world to launch and grow technology-driven innovative companies. In addition, the Charter is closely linked to the European strategy on research and technology infrastructures, seeking to reinforce Europe’s world-class research and technology infrastructures and make them even more integrated and accessible to a wider range of users.
The principles of the Charter were developed on the basis of a comprehensive open consultation process.
The Charter is complementary to the European Charter for Access to Research Infrastructures.
More information
Charter of Access for Industrial Users to Research and Technology Infrastructures
European Strategy on Research and Technology Infrastructures
European Technology Infrastructures
European Research Infrastructures
Press contact:
EC Spokesperson for Research, Science and Innovation
