PANOSC consortium signs Memorandum of Understanding with the European Open Science Cloud

The European Open Science Cloud (EOSC) Federation aims to create a seamless system where researchers across the continent can easily find, access, and use data and services to drive innovation. By linking hundreds of data repositories and tools, EOSC will make it simpler for scientists to find, share, analyze, and reuse FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) research outputs.

PaNOSC as the EOSC Node of the Photon and Neutron Open Science Cluster (PaNOSC), which includes all synchrotron and neutron sources in Europe, aims to connect the Photon and Neutron European research infrastructures to EOSC. Currently 11 Photon and Neutron Research Institutes have committed to providing data and services to the EOSC Federation through the PaNOSC EOSC Node – these are ESRF (as host institute), ALBA, DESY, ELETTRA, ESS, European XFEL, HZDR, ILL, MAX IV Laboratory, PSI, and SOLEIL.

With the signature today, PaNOSC commits to align its activities with the principles of the EOSC Federation, embracing openness, transparency, and interoperability based on recognised standards and FAIR data principles. It values diversity of approaches and institutional autonomy, while upholding ethical, legal, and social responsibility in all research practices. The Director General of the ESRF, Jean Daillant, explains the importance of the MoU: “While the creation of the EOSC Federation is still in its early stages, we hope that through PaNOSC we can actively contribute to making this vision a reality.”

Andy Gotz, head of the Data Automation Unit at the ESRF and coordinator of the PaNOSC EOSC Node, explains the importance of this signature: “The creation of the PaNOSC Node is a unique opportunity for making the huge volumes of data produced by the photon and neutron resources in Europe available to researchers world-wide”.  

Text by Montserrat Capellas Espuny

Top image: The signature took place in December at the ESRF. The DG of the ESRF, Jean Daillant, signed on behalf of PaNOSC. Mark Johnson (first left) represented the ILL in the event. Credits: Alexia Daurat.