EMSO-LINK: Implementation of the Strategy to Ensure the EMSO ERIC’s Long-term Sustainability

EMSO-Link is a 3-year project underpinning the long-term sustainability of EMSO ERIC, the pan-European distributed research infrastructure of fixed-point ocean observatories for the study and monitoring of European seas. EMSO pursues the long-term goal of being part of the forthcoming European Ocean Observing System (EOOS), which is expected to integrate multiple platforms and data systems, including other ERICs, to achieve the first sustained, standardised and permanent European Marine Observatory network. EMSO ERIC coordinates access to facilities and supports the management of data flows from EMSO observatories.

EMSO-Link will accelerate the establishment of EMSO ERIC governance rules and procedures and facilitate the coordination of the construction, operation, extension and maintenance of the EMSO infrastructure. In particular, EMSO-link:

1. It will strengthen and broaden the membership of EMSO ERIC to optimise the inclusion of all European marine technology and research institutions.
2. It will move towards coordinated operations of infrastructure nodes, interoperability and standardisation, as well as capacity building and synchronisation of regional node funding.
3. It will increase the active engagement of stakeholders (e.g. marine operators, industry, academia, universities and marine experts) through a series of awareness raising campaigns.
4. Increase relations with sister marine initiatives and equivalent/complementary research infrastructures through Memoranda of Understanding, also in coordination with the Coop+EC project.
5. It will strengthen EMSO ERIC’s contribution to European economic growth and innovation by implementing a powerful innovation platform in marine technologies that will serve and cooperate with industry and SMEs.

EMSO-Link will contribute to the identification of methodologies for achieving good environmental status of European marine waters by 2020, according to the Marine Strategy Framework Directive.