Geographical Enlargement of CERN

Associate membership

Principles and criteria

S. Intoudi / 8 July 2015 1

In June 2010, the CERN Council introduced fundamental changes in respect of State participation in CERN:

Membership of CERN is henceforth open to all States, irrespective of their geographical location.

A new Associate Membership is open to all States irrespective of their geographical location. Associate Membership comprises regular Associate Membership and Associate Membership as the pre-stage to full Membership.

The Observer Status arrangements concluded with States would be phased out over time. Observer status remains available for International Organizations.

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Associate Membership

Associate Membership constitutes the obligatory pre-stage for Membership.

Full Membership may only be granted to States once they have completed at least two years of Associate Membership.

The rights and obligations of Associate Members as the pre-stage to Membership are different from those of the regular Associate Members.

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Eligibility

All States are eligible to apply for Associate Membership, irrespective of their geographical location.

However, Member States and former Member States are not eligible to apply for Associate Membership.

Duration

Minimum duration: two years.

In principle, there is no limitation to the duration of Associate Membership since this is a status designed to allow a long-term institutional relationship with CERN.

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Associate Membership Criteria

Associate Member States must have a scientific, technical and industrial potential comparable to that required for CERN Member States.

Existence within the applicant State of a solid basis in elementary particle physics, both theoretical and experimental;

Existence of a sufficiently developed industry within the applicant State to enable it to tender for contracts with CERN with a reasonable chance of success;

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The will of the national authorities of the applicant State to support basic research and their awareness of the implications of participation in a common endeavor in the field of particle physics;

Consideration of “political aspects”.

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Procedure for granting regular Associate Membership status

The applicant State submits an application for Associate Membership to the President of Council, together with a file providing information for the purpose of establishing compliance with the Associate Membership criteria.

The Council establishes a fact-finding Task Force to examine the application and submit a report to the Director–General who transmits it to the President of Council.

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Subject to fulfillment of the criteria for Associate Membership, the Council may mandate the Director-General to prepare a draft Agreement between CERN and the applicant State “concerning the Granting of Associate Membership at CERN”, based on a Model Agreement.

The final draft Agreement is submitted to the Council for approval.

The decision to admit an applicant State to the status of Associate Member is taken by the Council by consensus.

However, the Associate Membership Status enters into force on the date of receipt by CERN of the notification by the applicant State that it has completed its internal approval procedures in respect of the Agreement.

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Review of Associate Membership

The Council reviews a State’s Associate Membership every five years. To this end, the State concerned submits a file giving information for the purpose of establishing its continued fulfillment of the Associate Membership criteria.

The Council sets up a fact-finding Task Force to monitor the State’s compliance with its obligations as an Associate Member and report to the Council.

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Obligations and rights of Associate Members

Obligations

Annual contribution to CERN’s budget:

o Is defined as a percentage of the Associate Member State’s theoretical contribution if it were a Member State.

o Bilaterally agreed between CERN and the Associate Member State amounting to at least 10% of the State’s theoretical Member State contribution but no less than 1 MCHF.

o The contribution of the Associate Member State may remain at the agreed starting level or may increase over time according to a schedule negotiated with the State and approved by the Council.

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Rights

Associate Member States have the right to:

Participate in CERN’s scientific programme, and Training and Education Programmes.

Be represented in the meetings of the CERN Finance Committee (without voting rights).

Be represented in Council’s Open and Restricted Sessions (without voting rights) but not in its Closed Sessions.

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Rights

Eligibility for posts as members of the CERN personnel:

o Nationals of Associate Member States are eligible to apply for appointment as Staff Members on contracts of limited duration and as Fellows, subject to CERN’s Staff Rules and Regulations.

Industrial Participation:

o Firms in Associate Member States are entitled to bid for CERN contracts.

The number of appointments as Staff Members and Fellows, as well as the industrial return and the total value of contracts are limited, with a ceiling that takes into account the Associate Member State’s contribution to the CERN budget.

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Thank you