Ms Garmendia was speaking to some 600 delegates at the opening of the sixth European Conference on Research Infrastructures (ECRI 2010), which was held in Barcelona, Spain, on 23 and 24 March. The aim of the meeting was to discuss mechanisms for setting priorities and arriving at decisions regarding the location of new European research infrastructures. The conference outcomes will be discussed by EU research ministers at the next meeting of the Competitiveness Council in May.

Research Infrastructures as the Backbone of the ERA

Research infrastructures represent an important priority for the Spanish Council Presidency, which describes them as 'the backbone of the European Research Area and [...] a driver for the economic development of the countries involved in their construction'. According to the minister, an efficient European roadmap would be rationally designed according to criteria of both excellence and regional balance and would help Europe to tackle major challenges such as the health needs of an ageing population, climate change, and food security.  'They are much more than extraordinary, expensive and sophisticated instruments,' stated Ms Garmendia, adding that these 'emblems of an era' were the 'result of a collective effort' whose construction and maintenance would generate wealth and employment.

Ms Garmendia also underlined the importance of ensuring researcher mobility; if the European infrastructure roadmap is to be truly efficient, scientists must be able to move freely and carry out research at the infrastructures they need.

For further information, please visit the website of the European Conference on Research Infrastructures 2010: http://www.ecri2010.es/

Source: CORDIS website, as accessed on March 26, 2010.