Task 1.5

Strategy toward sustainability: Economics and Governance 

Lead: HCMR (Christos Arvanitidis)

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Through this task JERICO-NEXT will establish links with national funding and regional agencies (e.g. JPI Ocean), which are financially supporting observing systems that are parts of the JERICO-RI, to ensure that they know the added value of their contribution. While agencies are typically very aware of the capital investments required for observing systems, in the medium to long term, operational and recurring costs can often be significant in the marine environment. This task will make an assessment of both the capital expenditure (CAPEX) and operational expenditure (OPEX) costs for the JERICO-NEXT infrastructure. In terms of a legal framework for the long-term implementation of JERICO-NEXT, an assessment will be conducted for the most commonly used legal forms (ERIC, AISBL) and a recommendation made as to which is the most suitable special purpose vehicle or legal entity for the RI. Finally, a comprehensive cost benefit and value analysis will be undertaken for JERICO-NEXT, outlining both the direct costs and benefits, but also the non-quantifiable costs and benefits associated with coastal marine observing systems. The measurable impact on interested communities of users will be an inherent part of this analysis. Successes recorded through the WP6 (Virtual Access) and WP7 (Trans National Access) will be used as a critical input factor in the cost benefit analysis. This will lead to the definition of a strategy for sustainability of JERICO-RI as a European Research Infrastructure. Different models and options for the sustainability of JERICO-RI through, for example alliances with other I3 and ESFRI infrastructures, and the integration into existing legal entities will be investigated. This task will benefit from and link with tasks 1.3 and 1.4.

Deliverables:

D1.3: A sustainable legal, governance and financial structure for JERICO-NEXT. (M38)