Funding of RI - Report on Literature Review

Large, complex and expensive Research Infrastructures (RI) are considered vital to support the solving Europe's economic and societal challenges. They move forward excellent science and top-notch technology attract the best researchers from around the world and connect research communities. RI are becoming an intrinsic part of the economic cycle and are viewed as strategic investments and as innovation drivers, largely influencing not only the local economies, but contributing to national and global competitiveness. Furthermore RIs, being the natural meetingpoint of research, innovation and education, are pretty much in the center of the knowledge triangle. They are hubs of knowledge generation and-sharing with a wide outreach also in the domain of technological progress. Though, industry and the private sector have also a big interest in Research Infrastructures (RI), by acting both as suppliers and as users, and invest large amounts in the construction and use-, usually these RIs are not open for public use. The vast majority of RI, however, is funded by state budgets and those RI are in the focus of the present literature report, while privately funded RI are not explicitly considered. In line with the strategy Europe2020 and the thematic objectives of the European common strategic framework (CSF), RI are considered as poles of increased competitiveness and regional growth. Thus, structural funds are steadily rising in importance as a funding alternative for RI-investments. Though the role of ESIF and in particular ERDF in funding of the construction phases of RIs is steadily rising, it is known that the contribution of these financial instruments to the subsequent RI operational costs is yet rather marginal. About 90% of running costs of RI, needed to ensure long-term sustainability, are covered by state budgets