The European Commission has adopted the new Charter for Industrial Users' Access to Research and Technology Infrastructures, an initiative designed to facilitate European companies' access to world-class research infrastructures while fostering stronger collaboration between industry and the scientific and technological community.

This initiative is particularly relevant to Portugal's microelectronics ecosystem, as it aligns with the mission of the Microelectronics Technology Hubs in the Central Region. These hubs bring together companies, universities and research centres by providing access to specialised infrastructures, advanced equipment and technical expertise to accelerate the development, testing and validation of new technologies.

The new Charter aims to simplify access for startups, scaleups and SMEs to advanced laboratories, pilot lines, testing environments and large-scale scientific infrastructures, helping reduce the time required to develop new products and services and accelerate their market entry.

According to Ekaterina Zaharieva, European Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation, innovative companies need access to cutting-edge infrastructures to develop and validate new solutions, making this a key factor in strengthening Europe's competitiveness.

The Charter sets out six guiding principles that research and technology infrastructures are encouraged to adopt on a voluntary basis:

• Improve the visibility and accessibility of available services;
• Ensure transparency and high-quality standards;
• Simplify contracts and administrative procedures;
• Promote secure intellectual property management;
• Provide tailored support to companies;
• Foster cooperation between infrastructures and facilitate knowledge and data sharing.

These principles also reflect the vision for the development of the Central Region's Technology Hubs, which aim to create a more accessible and collaborative environment for companies by leveraging existing scientific and technological capabilities to address industrial challenges.

By encouraging wider access to research infrastructures, the European Commission reinforces one of the key drivers of industrial innovation: bringing research closer to the market and accelerating the development of high-value technologies.

The European Commission now invites research and technology infrastructures across Europe to voluntarily endorse the Charter. A dedicated awareness campaign, including webinars, events and an open repository of best practices, will support its implementation.

This initiative marks another important step towards building a more integrated and competitive European innovation ecosystem, reinforcing the role of research and technology infrastructures as catalysts for innovation and industrial growth.

Author: European Commission (adapted by the Microelectronics Agenda)

Read the full article: https://portugal.representation.ec.europa.eu/atualidade-e-eventos/atualidade/comissao-adota-novas-orientacoes-para-melhorar-o-acesso-das-empresas-infraestruturas-de-investigacao-2026-07-28_pt