Geneva, Switzerland, 24 January 2018 – today in Geneva Prime Minister Jüri Ratas confirmed Estonia’s wish to become a full member of the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN). Estonia currently has a cooperation agreement with CERN.
“The European Organization for Nuclear Research is an important cooperation partner for Estonia in research and innovation as well as entrepreneurship. For our scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs to be able to take full part in the opportunities offered by CERN, we must become a full member of the research organisation,” explained the Prime Minister.
“By joining CERN we will gain access to the infrastructure and technology of the research institution, and the intellectual property developed there. Our engineers can gain experience at CERN and our scientists can, in addition to contributing to research, take part in managing the research institution. Estonian enterprises will have the opportunity to make offers to CERN’s procurements” said Ratas when listing the advantages of joining.
The Research and Development Council is also in favour of Estonia joining CERN, having discussed the opportunities that open with the joining in March last year. CERN membership has been accounted for in the state budget strategy of 2018–2021 with 1.43 million euros starting from 2019.
With its 22 member states, CERN is operating the world’s largest particle physics laboratory. At CERN, Prime Minister Ratas met Eckhard Elsen, the Director for Research and Martin Steinacher, the Director for Finance and Human Resources, as well as Emmanuel Tsesmelis, the Head of Relations with Associate Members and Non-Member States and Christoph Schäfer, the senior adviser responsible for relations with Estonia.
Ratas also visited the testing area of ATLAS, which is one of the seven particle detectors at the Large Hadron Collider particle accelerator.
Photos of the meeting: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/hkhykjybc8l29ip/AADaG2w4OGwiI1kK7c5xoc7Na?dl=0
