ESFRI Chair José Luis Martínez: Building a More Integrated and Sustainable Infrastructure Ecosystem for Europe

From the opening address of the RTI Summit 2025 in Copenhagen

During his opening address at the Research and Technology Infrastructures (RTI) Summit 2025, held on 22 October in Copenhagen, under the Danish EU Presidency, ESFRI Chair José Luis Martínez Peña outlined a vision for a more integrated and sustainable European ecosystem for Research and Technology Infrastructures (RIs and TIs).

Speaking to policymakers, research leaders, and innovators from across Europe, he highlighted the need for stronger coordination, efficient funding mechanisms, and closer collaboration between science and industry reaffirming that Research and Technology Infrastructures are the backbone of Europe’s research and innovation system.

Excerpt from the address

It is a pleasure to be here today to discuss European science — and the key role that research and technology infrastructures play in it.

During my experience in the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures, and now as its Chair, I have been a privileged witness to the transformation of the European scientific landscape and the essential contribution of infrastructures to that evolution.

ESFRI was established almost 25 years ago, soon after the creation of the European Research Area (ERA), following an initiative by Philippe Busquin. Its initial mandate was to support a coherent and strategy-led approach to policymaking on research infrastructures in Europe and to facilitate multilateral initiatives acting as an incubator for pan-European and global Research Infrastructures.

Since its inception in 2002, ESFRI has gained a unique, systemic understanding of how to organize and sustain complex infrastructure ecosystems, accumulating a wealth of lessons learned along the way. With this experience in mind, I would like to share a few considerations and a vision for building a more integrated and sustainable ecosystem for Research Infrastructures (RIs) and Technology Infrastructures (TIs).

A holistic approach to research and technology infrastructures

Several recent developments have renewed efforts to adopt a more holistic approach to research and technology infrastructures.

First, the proposal for the next EU Research and Innovation Framework Programme introduces a new structure for both Research and Technology Infrastructures under a dedicated pillar for the European Research Area.

Additionally, the European Commission has recently adopted a new, long-term European Strategy on Research and Technology Infrastructures.

Both actions reaffirm that research and technology infrastructures form the backbone of Europe’s research and innovation system — from advanced laboratories and large scientific instruments to supercomputers, digital services, clean rooms, testbeds, and pilot lines. Together, they support the full innovation cycle, from frontier science to the deployment of new technologies, making them essential for Europe’s scientific excellence, competitiveness, and technological sovereignty.

Integration, governance, and collaboration

My first consideration is that Research and Technology Infrastructures are integral parts of the knowledge creation ecosystem. We all agree, I hope, that coordination and collaboration — from fundamental research to industrial application — are essential.

Research and Technology Infrastructures are part of the same continuum. This does not mean everyone must do everything; it means that the various components of the system must be coordinated to fully leverage Europe’s rich and diverse research and innovation landscape.

My second consideration is that achieving this vision requires a governance model that, while respecting the distinct nature of RIs and TIs, fosters a cooperative framework. This integrated system should accommodate the differences between service providers and users while breaking down silos and encouraging knowledge spillover.

Moving from vision to action

To advance this agenda, three key elements are essential:

• Collaboration among EU Member States, Associated Countries, and the European Commission to build an ecosystem based on complementarities.
• Efficient and coordinated funding, avoiding duplication and fragmentation while promoting cooperative and complementary use of resources to reach the scale needed for Europe to remain competitive globally.
• Action through experimentation — starting with small, targeted initiatives using a learning-by-doing approach and scaling up to more ambitious systems.

Rome was not built in a day, nor was the European Union. ESFRI is committed to working with all stakeholders and drawing on its 25 years of experience in coordinating national governments and integrating diverse infrastructures to turn this vision into reality — ensuring that Europe’s infrastructures remain a pillar of scientific excellence, innovation, and competitiveness for decades to come.

The challenges ahead are significant, but the achievements of the past 23 years give us confidence. ESFRI’s legacy is proof that progress is possible — and I have every reason to believe we will succeed.