Strengthening of the Italian Research Infrastructure for Metrology and Open Access Data in support to the Agrifood
METROFOOD-EPI: what was decided at the Munich kick-off
On January 1st, 2024, METROFOOD-RI - the European research infrastructure coordinated by ENEA - with METROFOOD-IT representing the national node - officially entered the "Early Phase Implementation", with the launch of the METROFOOD-EPI project under Horizon Europe.
The official kick-off meeting of METROFOOD-EPI took place in Freising (Munich) on January 24th and 25th, 2024. During the event, project partners confirmed that the main mission of METROFOOD-EPI is to advance the construction process of METROFOOD-RI as a consolidated infrastructure, ensuring an effective start of the operational phase.
In this regard, the EPI project revolves around four objectives to be achieved through mutual and continuous interaction among project partners, users, and stakeholders:
- Supporting the establishment of the legal entity that will manage the research infrastructure.
- Specifying the technical implementation of the service-oriented RI.
- Consolidating its position in the European landscape.
- Ensuring its long-term sustainability.
Achieving these objectives will enable METROFOOD-IT users (researchers, policymakers, inspection and control agencies, agri-food companies, consumers, and citizens) to access a wide range of services, cutting-edge laboratories, facilities, and experimental setups, all to the benefit of enhancing the quality and safety of the agrifood sector.