EAC Meeting 22 October, 2014

2 Connect | Communicate | Collaborate Meeting Objective and Agenda Objective: Discuss possible implications of splitting GÉANT R&D from Production, and provide strategic advice to the GÉANT governance, for possible use towards the EC Agenda: Welcome – Dorte Olesen Background information on the EC – Dale Robertson GÉANT project structure and activities – John Chevers Discussion – all Summary – Dorte Olesen

EAC Briefing Background Information on the EC Dale Robertson, DANTE EAC Meeting 22 October, 2014

4 Connect | Communicate | Collaborate Typical EC R&D Funding Process Much European R&D collaboration is co-funded by EC R&D Framework Programmes Multi-year large-scale R&D funding programmes Funding allocated to projects proposed in response to public, competitive calls for proposals GÉANT GN3 ( ) and GN3plus ( ) projects both co-funded under 7 th R&D Framework Programme Funding allocation and award process Annual/bi-annual Work Programmes compiled and published – Available to view at Contain detailed breakdown of work to be conducted, including budget provision per area “Calls for proposals” published, inviting project bids for the funding These are public, open and competitive

5 Connect | Communicate | Collaborate R&D Framework Programme for is called Horizon 2020 Financial instrument implementing the Innovation Union initiative, which is aimed at securing Europe’s global competitiveness Couples research and innovation Part of the EU’s response to the 2008 financial crisis and poor EU economic performance Key priorities in Horizon 2020: Remove barriers to innovation, which is seen as a key factor for job creation Greater involvement of private sector, to encourage knowledge transfer, translate research to market Horizon 2020 due to fund GÉANT EC commissioned GÉANT Expert Group (GEG) to “articulate a 2020 vision for European Research and Education networking and identify an action plan for realising this vision” EC adopted GEG Knowledge Without Borders report in October Vision is of GÉANT 2020 as the European Communications Commons EU R&D Funding for

6 Connect | Communicate | Collaborate Historic Issues GÉANT is large and requires a significant single chunk of funding for each project GÉANT is one of the EC’s biggest R&D success stories, but it is also one of the largest projects funded by EC R&D programmes Difficult for EC’s e-Infrastructures Unit (our sponsor) to gain internal approval (e.g. from Budget Control) for multi-year funding -> Conflicts with GÉANT requirement for long-term stability GÉANT can, realistically, only be provided by the NREN partners call for proposals restricts response to NRENs, NORDUnet, DANTE and TERENA -> not open to competition from other bidders

7 Connect | Communicate | Collaborate Solution Proposed in Horizon 2020 EC has “proposed” GÉANT to be funded under 7-year FPA in H2020 FPA (Framework Partnership Agreement) is a long-term stable trusted relationship between the EC and its Partner(s) Framework contract defines high-level, mutually agreed objectives for the duration of the contract – FPA proposal submitted 2 Sep 2014, due to enter into force ~April 2015 – FPA is our proposal for how we will implement the GEG recommendations – See text of “call for proposals” for the FPA herehere 3 individual projects (“SGAs”) expected under FPA, co-funding GÉANT for , and respectively First SGA (“GN4 Phase 1”) proposal currently in preparation, due to be substantially complete by December 2014

8 Connect | Communicate | Collaborate Current Situation New Head of Unit in EC’s e-Infrastructures Unit (Augusto Burgueño) Issues he is contemplating: Impact: what difference does EC funding make? – Includes questioning whether Horizon 2020 should be funding operational infrastructures Ensuring avoidance of duplication/overlapping with other e-Infrastructures – Perceived competition/overlap between work conducted within GÉANT and other e-Infrastructures Removing the research/innovation funding from the GÉANT funding stream – Contemplating whether to split GÉANT, separating off the Service Development and Research elements and making them subject to competitive calls for proposals – EC have asked us to provide details of budget split between Production and Development activity -> reflection of desire to open funding to competition, and to deliver vertically-integrated e-Infrastructures solutions to user disciplines?

9 Connect | Communicate | Collaborate Our Response So Far 30 June GÉANT consultation meeting with EC Provided input to EC, including – How EC funding contributes to the effectiveness of the European Communications Commons – Why we don’t feel there is duplication or overlap between e- Infrastructures – Why we believe Operations should not be funded separately from R&D EICC (e-Infrastructures Coordination Committee) set up internally, June 2014, to consider opportunities to collaborate with other e- Infrastructures EC learned about this and have asked whether EICC remit could be expanded to help the EC look into closer e-Infs collaboration EC also wonders whether GÉANT FPA could be expanded to include other e-Infrastructures (implying joint governance) Separate project proposal submitted 2 Sep jointly with other major European e-Infrastructures, proposing collaborative working