Research Infrastructures in Horizon Europe

Access to state-of-the-art research facilities can dramatically accelerate scientific progress. The Horizon Europe Research Infrastructures (RI) programme offers researchers the opportunity to tap into cutting-edge equipment, advanced data resources and specialist services that fast-track discoveries across every scientific field.

As a cornerstone of European innovation, the programme promotes collaboration, open science, and technological excellence. Yet many researchers are still unaware of its full potential.

The European Commission recently introduced a renewed strategy to strengthen RIs, aiming to advance scientific excellence, stimulate technological innovation and reinforce Europe’s industrial competitiveness.

What are Research Infrastructures?

Research Infrastructures (RIs) are facilities that provide indispensable resources and services for research and innovation. They encompass:

• Large scientific equipment or instrument collections (e.g., particle accelerators, telescopes, microscopes, research vessels)
• Knowledge-based resources (e.g., collections, archives, data libraries)
• Digital and data infrastructures (e.g., supercomputers, cloud platforms, communication networks)

RIs may be located on a single site, distributed across various locations, or operate entirely virtually.

Luxembourg contributes to several major European RIs, including ELIXIR (A distributed infrastructure for life-science data), DARIAH (Digital Research Infrastructure for the Arts and Humanities), EATRIS (European infrastructure for translational medicine), PRACE (Partnership for Advanced Computing in Europe), and SLICES (Scientific Large-scale Infrastructure for Computing/Communication Experimental Studies).

How to benefit from RIs

There are two primary ways for researchers and institutions to engage with and benefit from the programme: as project partners or as users accessing RI resources.

For instance, a laboratory equipped with advanced drug-discovery technologies may apply as a partner, while a PhD student might request access to a specialised database or supercomputer as a user.

The project partner route is ideal for researchers who can contribute essential assets—physical, virtual, or technical—to enhance or expand RI services. Participation typically takes place through competitive open calls for collaborative funding.

The user route is open to researchers at any career stage, from students to senior scientists and technical experts, from both public and private organisations. Users can access RIs to support their research ideas and projects.

Beyond the dedicated RI programme, several Horizon Europe Pillar 2 calls encourage applicants to integrate European RIs into their proposals, strengthening project competitiveness by leveraging exceptional facilities, expertise and opportunities for long-term sustainability.

Transnational and virtual access

A core feature of the RI programme is Transnational and Virtual Access (TNA/VA). This allows researchers to make use of physical, remote, or virtual RI services, from experimental platforms and software tools to expert guidance and training. When offered through an RI project, this access may be free of charge.

Free TNA/VA access is available through RIs participating in ongoing Horizon Europe RI-funded projects. Access is awarded via open calls and peer review, and is available to all eligible applicants regardless of their country or institution.

Where to start?

The European Strategic Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI) website offers a catalogue of 63 leading RIs across Europe, organised into six research domains.

For details on ongoing projects that may provide TNA/VA opportunities, the RICH Europe website is updated regularly.