EUROPEAN PLATE OBSERVING SYSTEM - EUROPEAN RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE CONSORTIUM

Their core work

EPOS is a pan-European research infrastructure that integrates and provides access to solid earth science data — seismology, volcanology, geodesy, and geophysics. As a formally established ERIC, it operates observation networks, data platforms, and computing resources that researchers across Europe rely on for understanding earthquakes, volcanic activity, and tectonic processes. Beyond data provision, EPOS works on long-term governance models for research infrastructures and actively connects solid earth science with industry and society applications.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

EPOS entered H2020 as a newly established ERIC (around 2019), initially focused on formalizing its legal and operational framework alongside other ERICs. By 2020-2021, the focus expanded significantly toward long-term sustainability of its solid earth science infrastructure, open science integration via EOSC, and building connections to industry and society. The trajectory shows a maturing infrastructure moving from institutional setup to operational delivery and broader impact.

EPOS is transitioning from building its infrastructure to making it sustainable and industry-relevant — future partners should expect a focus on data services, applied geoscience, and cross-infrastructure integration.

How they like to work

EPOS operates across all consortium roles — coordinator, participant, and third party — reflecting its nature as a central infrastructure serving many communities. With 137 unique partners across 29 countries from just 3 projects, it functions as a major network hub rather than a focused bilateral collaborator. Working with EPOS means joining a very large, pan-European ecosystem where they provide data infrastructure and coordination capacity.

Despite only 3 H2020 projects, EPOS connects with 137 partners across 29 countries — one of the widest networks possible, reflecting its role as a continent-wide research infrastructure serving the entire solid earth science community.

What sets them apart

EPOS is not a research group that studies earthquakes — it IS the European infrastructure that makes solid earth science data accessible to everyone who does. As a formally constituted ERIC based in Rome, it carries legal standing and long-term institutional commitment that ordinary project consortia cannot offer. For anyone needing seismic, volcanic, or geodetic data at European scale, EPOS is the single point of access.

Highlights from their portfolio

• EPOS SP
  Their flagship project as coordinator (EUR 774,976), focused on making the entire EPOS infrastructure financially and operationally sustainable beyond EU funding.
• EOSC Future
  Participation in the EU's flagship open science cloud initiative positions EPOS as a data provider within the broader European Open Science ecosystem.