Updating the SRAs of MELODI, ALLIANCE, NERIS, EURADOS and EURAMED: CONCERT D2013

The aim of CONCERT WP2 on Integration and Strategic Research Agenda development on radiation protection research has been to bring together the European research community in order to enhance radiation protection knowledge. The four European research platforms (MELODI, ALLIANCE, NERIS, EURADOS) have maintained and updated their Strategic Research Agendas (SRA), respectively, in a coordinated manner, prepared annual statements on current research needs, priorities and road maps for joint programming (WP3). In addition to the four Associations that were founded before the launch of CONCERT, two sister platforms, EURAMED and SHARE, were established more recently. EURAMED (est. 2017) addresses radiation protection in medicine and SHARE (est. 2019) with the mission to stimulate the integration of social sciences and humanities (SSH) in research, practice and policy related to radiation protection. The research platforms are open for new memberships from Europe and beyond. Attraction of research organizations and universities from countries not yet involved in radiation protection research on the European level receive a high priority on the agenda of the research platforms. In this respect, a special attention is given to attract and motivate early career scientists in all disciplines inherent in radiation protection. Towards the end of CONCERT, the RP platforms are now fully operational, having working groups for SRA development, infrastructures and E&T activities. The updating of SRAs was foreseen to take place on a 5-year interval, and this deliverable presents the last updates during CONCERT. For a longer-term view, the platforms have prepared roadmaps for the next couple of decades. Furthermore, they have identified research priorities with a shorter-term perspective to serve the needs of calls organized by CONCERT and the Euratom programme. Agendas for research and innovation supporting the implementation of the revised European Basic Safety Standards have also been developed during the lifetime of CONCERT. The activities of WP2 have paved way to Joint Programming in CONCERT WP3, exploring the joint research interests of all platforms and societal needs – science and values - in the area of European radiation protection. Even though no calls are expected by the CONCERT or Euratom during 2020, Annual Statements on research priorities have been prepared once more by the associations. We hope that highlighting the current research priorities will be helpful in the transit to the Horizon Europe and for the joint programming at the national level. It is important that to stress that Strategic Research Agendas are live documents which need regular updating also after the CONCERT project in order to respond on changing societal needs and challenges.