A busy week for Council
This has been a busy week for the CERN Council, and there is much to report. Firstly, I’m pleased to say that Council approved the Organization’s Medium Term Plan, and with it the budget for financial year 2010. In a time of global recession, this is a strong vote of confidence from the Member States.
This meeting of Council provided an opportunity for the working group on the scientific and geographical enlargement of CERN to set out a roadmap towards its final report, which is to be made at Council’s December session this year. One part of the process over the coming months is to bring the major players in particle physics from beyond the European region into the discussion, ensuring that the working group’s recommendations lead to an optimum position for CERN and European particle physics in the global context.
An indicator of the continuing attractiveness of CERN is the fact that Council has received four new applications for Membership from Israel, The Republic of Cyprus, The Republic of Serbia and The Republic of Turkey, along with an expression of interest from The Republic of Slovenia.
Council discussed the relationship between the new applications for membership and the deliberations of the working group, concluding that all new applications should be considered after the final report of the working group in December.
In another important development for European particle physics, the European strategy session of Council was pleased to hear that a Memorandum of Understanding between the European Commission and CERN has been approved by both parties. This Memorandum strengthens cooperation between the two organizations, and recognizes the CERN Council as Europe’s strategic body for particle physics; it is to be signed by the Director General, the European Commissioner for Science and Research and myself in Brussels on 17 July.
Finally, I can report that Council has begun the process of finding a new President. My mandate, which has covered an eventful period in CERN’s history, comes to an end following the December Council meeting this year.
Further details of the 151st session of the CERN Council will be made available on the web at:
Torsten Åkesson
