EOSC Node Coordinators Committee

The EOSC Federation Build-Up Group convened in Brussels on the 7th and the morning of the 8th of July, followed by the 2026 coordination meeting of EOSC-related projects funded under Horizon Europe. The session brought together representatives from the Tripartite Governance, the EOSC EU Node, first wave Node coordinators, and the newly approved second wave Nodes to advance the operational and technical expansion of the EOSC Federation.

The meeting featured opening remarks from representatives of the Tripartite Governance, highlighting the significant progress achieved from the EOSC Federation that is rapidly maturing from a concept on a paper to an operational system of systems.

Status of the Federation and second wave Node integration
Bob Jones, co-chair of the Node Coordination Committee (NCC), delivered a summary of the ongoing Federation activities, including steps to reach production, and the scaling up of the Federation portfolio featuring approximately 194 services, 82 scientific repositories, and 124 use cases. Spiros Athanasiou, representative of the EOSC EU Node (EEN), provided an update on the operational status of the EEN and the achievement of important elements allowing Nodes registry: Node Registration Policy endorsed and the Contributors’ Dashboard fully functional. Based on the current policies, six Nodes from the first wave are ready for production: Data Terra, EUDAT, EDTO, Node Finland, PANOSC, and the Slovakia Node.

A major focal point of the meeting plenary was the presentation of progress and plans from the second wave Nodes:

First batch presentations: operational timelines and technical integration updates were presented by Mark Van de Sanden for GÉANT, Andrea Manzi for EGI, Natalia Manola for the EOSC Scholarly Commons Node, and Ludek Matyska for the Czech Node.

Second batch presentations: detailed updates were provided by thematic Node representatives: METROFOOD-RI (Karl Presser), EBRAINS (Amaryllis Raouzaiou), ENVRI (Marta Gutierrez), and
national Nodes representatives: Latvia (Kristaps Oškalns), Croatia (Draženko Celjak), North Macedonia (Anastas Mishev), Türkiye (Hakan Bayindir), Slovenia (Marko Drobnjak), Switzerland (Stefano Gorini), and Sweden (Lina Andrén).

Governance and technical developments
A decision from the Monday closed session was shared regarding the relaxation of rules for working group co-chairs: candidates can now be proposed by any Node endorsed by the Tripartite Governance.

The session continued with the status and plans reported by the co-chairs of the active Working Groups. In particular, the Architecture & Federated Policies (A&FP) WG outlined three procedural options for processing future policies: i) policies and guidelines from other WGs are reviewed by A&FP WG; ii) other WGs adopt the same review process, including NOC review, A&FP WG tracks reviews; iii) each WG carries on as currently, with their own process. The options sparked a nuanced debate ending in deferring the final choice to a subsequent NCC meeting.

Helpdesk Working Group proposal
Building upon previous recommendations from the NOC, the NCC evaluated a request to establish a dedicated EOSC Federation Helpdesk Working Group. The request was formally approved, explicitly instructing it to first “step back” to assess the current landscape, test practical use cases, and define basic node-level requirements before building any centralised technical solutions.

Streamlining the way of working in the Federation
To streamline collaboration among NCC, NOC, and WGs, a set of standardised pathways were proposed through the implementation of public website updates, monthly internal tracking spreadsheets, extended bi-weekly Task Support Officer meetings including non-EOSC-A members, and a uniform policy approval process.
In addition, an updated naming convention was presented for the Nodes registration: 100-character maximum long formal name, a 35-character maximum short name, and explicit domain affiliations for thematic Nodes.
Finally, rationalisation of the broader EOSC ecosystem, involving Opportunity Area Expert Groups, EOSC-A Task Forces, and the Federation Working Groups, was discussed.

EOSC Federation User Forum
The functioning of the EOSC Federation User Forum was demonstrated, showing a dedicated Discourse platform integrated with MyAccessID to create an inclusive community of Federation users. The launch of the new Forum requires that every Node nominates at least one volunteer “power user” by the end of the summer to help drive content and establish an active presence.

INFRAEOSC and Federation alignment
Four newly funded Horizon Europe infrastructure projects—EOSC Mesh, EOSC-CONNECT, EOSC-Marine, and EOSC4ALL—were presented as directly involved in supporting the evolution and operations of the Federation. The project representatives participated in a panel discussion together with the EEN focused on exploring the transition from a central to a distributed network of federating capabilities and best ways of collaborating across projects. The discussion ended up recommending the EOSC United project as an exchange platform to support cross-projects activities regarding the evolution of the Federation architecture.

Looking ahead
Looking ahead, the actions to reach production were identified and two important milestones described: the NCC online meeting on 27th of August and the F2F Build-up Group meeting in Karlsruhe on 7-8th of September. These steps are necessary checkpoints to review progress towards the transition of the Federation to production planned for the EOSC Symposium in October.

The EOSC Federation Node Coordinators Committee held its sixth meeting to review progress towards an operational Federation, approve a key registration policy and prepare the forthcoming face-to-face meetings in Brussels.

EOSC EU Node Registration Policy adopted

The Committee adopted version 0.7 of the EOSC EU Node Registration Policy by consensus, with no objections or abstentions.

The policy defines the conditions for registering EOSC Nodes and their associated service and research product catalogues through the EOSC EU Node Contributors Dashboard. Nodes will accept the policy electronically during registration; no separate signature is required. Successful integration with the EOSC Federated AAI remains a technical prerequisite. The policy was developed through three consultation rounds involving the Legal and Governance Working Group and the Architecture and Federating Policies Working Group, with input also requested from the Node Operations Committee. More than 30 comments were addressed.

Discussion focused particularly on responsibility for third-party resources, enforcement procedures and the relationship between Node registration and the wider Federation enrolment process. It was clarified that enrolment is a Federation-level process, while registration is currently a technical function provided by the EOSC EU Node. The policy may therefore evolve if other Nodes provide this capability in the future.

EOSC EU Node procurement

The European Commission presented the procurement for the continued operation, maintenance and evolution of the EOSC EU Node.

The procurement is organised as a four-year, single-lot framework with a maximum value of EUR 40 million and the possibility of a 50% increase. Tenders will be evaluated based on 60% quality and 40% price.

The framework is designed to be modular, allowing services and development activities to be commissioned progressively. Baseline services, including the Contributors Dashboard, Node registration, enrolment support and existing production services, will continue during the transition to the future contractor. The deadline for submitting procurement questions is 9 July 2026, while tenders must be submitted by 17 July 2026.

Progress of second-wave Nodes

The revised project charters of the first four second-wave Nodes—GÉANT, the Czech Node, EGI and the EOSC Scholarly Commons Node—were briefly summarised by their coordinators.

All four Nodes reported progress on technical implementation, AAI integration, catalogues, use cases and preparations for MoU signature. The Czech and EGI Nodes are collaborating on a federated LLM use case, while the Scholarly Commons Node will initially build on OpenAIRE services before progressively integrating OPERAS components. The Nodes will present short progress updates during the Brussels meeting in July.

First-wave project charter updates

First-wave Nodes were reminded to update their project charters using the agreed template and to identify the Horizon Europe projects contributing to their development.

Several revised charters had already been submitted, while outstanding Nodes were encouraged to complete their updates before the Brussels meeting (i.e. by the end of June). The Secretariat will use the submissions to prepare a consolidated analysis of the Federation’s progress and production readiness.

Node Operations Committee update

The Node Operations Committee reported continued progress on the Federated AAI, service and research product catalogues, monitoring and production-readiness planning.

Most first-wave Nodes are approaching AAI production readiness, while onboarding of second-wave Nodes has begun in the testing environment. A dedicated Federated AAI session was scheduled for 30 June.

The NOC supported the creation of a Help Desk Working Group and a Federation-level Support Unit from October 2026. A detailed mandate and governance proposal will be prepared for discussion in Brussels.

The NOC also requested a consolidated production-readiness checklist covering technical, operational, governance and legal requirements, including MoU signature, registration, AAI integration, catalogues, mandatory federating capabilities and at least one functioning use case.

Policy review and Brussels preparations

A proposed Federation policy-review process was presented by the Architecture and Federating Policies Working Group. The process would include policy prioritisation, high-level review, operational impact assessment and final adoption by the NCC.

Further discussion is required on whether policies developed by specialist Working Groups should pass through a central review process or be assessed independently using a common methodology. This issue will be addressed at the meeting in Brussels.

The co-located EOSC Federation meetings will take place in Brussels from 6 to 8 July 2026. The programme will include closed NCC discussions, the Federation Build-up Group plenary, parallel NCC and NOC sessions, second-wave Node presentations and a joint session with Horizon Europe projects contributing to the Federation.

A statement from the NCC concerning the architecture of the EOSC Federation and role of the EOSC EU Node has been released. It can be downloaded here.

The meeting brought together EOSC nodes and newly approved second-wave nodes to discuss governance developments, operational progress, and coordination across the EOSC Federation ecosystem. The session also provided an opportunity for participants to exchange updates and strengthen collaboration across the community.

Governance and Operational Updates

Participants reviewed recent developments from operational and governance working structures supporting the EOSC Federation. Progress was presented on several ongoing activities, including federated authentication and authorization, node onboarding, resource catalogue interoperability, policy alignment, monitoring services, and support mechanisms.

Work on onboarding additional nodes is progressing through phased implementation steps, while technical activities continue to focus on improving interoperability, harmonising vocabularies, and strengthening service classification across the Federation.

Discussions also highlighted the importance of coordinated governance procedures and improved interaction between operational and policy-related working groups to avoid fragmented development processes and ensure consistency across the Federation.

Legal and Governance Framework

An update was provided on the development of the EOSC Federation governance framework and related policy initiatives. Discussions focused on the evolution from the current Memorandum of Understanding toward a more structured framework capable of supporting operational activities in the production phase.

Participants emphasized the importance of maintaining a balanced approach between governance requirements and operational flexibility, while also acknowledging the need for clear coordination mechanisms and realistic consultation timelines.

A recurring topic was the need to clarify governance processes, define roles and responsibilities more transparently, and improve visibility across the growing number of committees and working structures.

EOSC User Forum Development

An update was presented on the EOSC User Forum initiative, which aims to create an online community space for users and service providers to exchange knowledge, share experiences, and support one another. Initial work has established a platform structure with discussion areas covering training, node activities, and general Federation topics.

The community was encouraged to contribute actively and support the development of an engaged user network capable of fostering discussion and knowledge exchange.

The 23 April meeting of the EOSC Node Coordinators Committee (NCC) brought together members, invited experts, and observers to review operational progress, governance developments, and the next steps for expanding the EOSC Federation, including the onboarding of second wave nodes.

Progressing Toward an Operational Federation
A report from the Node Operations Committee (NOC), highlighted steady progress across technical working groups. Notable advances were reported in the Federated AAI and Federated Catalogue areas, while work on Architecture and Federated Policies is still being established and requires broader participation from nodes.

Efforts are also ongoing to formalise the NOC’s Rules of Procedure, expected to be finalised within the coming month and submitted to the NCC for endorsement. Updates on federating capabilities showed encouraging progress, with several nodes ready to integrate Help Desk services following a recent webinar and survey. A similar approach is being taken for Monitoring capabilities, with further discussions planned.

Training activities, including FitSM Foundation sessions delivered in April, received positive feedback and may be extended to additional participants, including second wave nodes.

A key discussion point focused on the definition of nodes being “in production,” underlining the need for clearer alignment between technical readiness, policy requirements, and governance frameworks.

Second Wave Nodes: Enrolment and Integration
Fourteen applications—covering national, thematic, and e-infrastructure nodes—were positively evaluated by the Tripartite and approved to begin the enrolment process.

Enrolment will start in May 2026 and the support for the new nodes will be implemented in three phases (batches) through April 2027, ensuring manageable technical support and coordination. The process aims to bring nodes to the point of signing the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), rather than full production readiness.

Key requirements for enrolment include participation in a testing environment, implementation of core federation capabilities such as AAI and the Federated Catalogue, a registered node identity, and at least one operational use case.

Second wave nodes will also be asked to update their project charters in line with their assigned enrollment support phase. An initial coordination meeting is scheduled for 5 May, and these nodes will begin participating as observers in NCC meetings from 21 May onwards.

Coordination with EOSC Projects and Sustainability Considerations
The meeting also addressed the evolving landscape of EU-funded EOSC projects, which are expected to support both first and second wave nodes. 

Looking Ahead
The Committee agreed on several next steps, including updates to first wave node project charters by mid-June and further planning for the upcoming face-to-face meeting. Given the increasing scope and complexity of activities, the possibility of more frequent meetings and extended discussion formats will also be considered.The next NCC meeting, scheduled for 21 May 2026, will mark the first participation of second wave nodes as observers and provide further updates on enrolment progress and coordination efforts.

The third meeting of the EOSC Node Coordinators Committee (NCC) brought together representatives of Nodes from across the EOSC Federation to review governance progress, operational developments, and upcoming initiatives supporting the evolution of the federation. 

Strengthening Governance and Coordination

The Committee adopted its updated Rules of Procedure, marking an important step toward a more structured and transparent governance framework. These rules clarify roles, decision-making processes, and how different actors collaborate within the federation.

As part of this process, Bob Jones was formally appointed as Chair, and Matteo Zanaroli as Co-Chair of the Node Coordinators Committee. Additional co-chairs were also confirmed for key Working Groups, reinforcing leadership across technical and operational areas.

Advancing Operational Readiness

The Node Operations Committee (NOC) reported progress in moving toward a more practical and results-oriented mode of work. Current efforts focus on:

• defining priorities and deliverables, 
• improving coordination between nodes, 
• analysing existing tools and services, 
• and supporting the gradual implementation of federation capabilities. 

A key message was the importance of prioritisation and phased development, ensuring that new functionalities are introduced in line with available resources and readiness across nodes.

Engaging the User Community

The Committee reviewed a proposal for a future EOSC User Forum, designed to give users a stronger voice in shaping federation services. The forum aims to:

• collect structured feedback from researchers and service users, 
• improve alignment of services across nodes, 
• and foster a growing user community. 

Work will continue on preparing the forum, with the goal of launching it alongside the broader rollout of federation services.

Supporting EOSC Projects and Growth

Updates were provided on Horizon Europe-funded projects, with several initiatives expected to start after summer 2026. Efforts are underway to ensure strong alignment between these projects and ongoing federation activities.

The Committee also reviewed progress on the second wave of node enrolment, with multiple applications under evaluation. Further updates are expected following upcoming governance discussions.

Looking Ahead

The meeting highlighted the continued transition of the EOSC toward a more mature and operational Federation. Key priorities for the coming months include:

• strengthening coordination between governance and technical bodies, 
• supporting onboarding of new nodes, 
• engaging users more effectively, 
• and ensuring sustainable, scalable development of services. 

The next NCC meeting is scheduled for 23 April 2026, where further updates on node enrolment and project alignment are expected.

The second meeting of the EOSC Node Coordinators Committee (NCC) focused on strengthening governance structures, advancing technical coordination across nodes, and launching new working groups to support the operational maturity of the EOSC Federation.

The Committee approved the agenda and formally adopted the summary of the previous meeting (Nice, January 2026). A key outcome was the revision of the draft NCC Rules of Procedure, clarifying participation and voting rights under the MoU framework, decision-making mechanisms, and the chairing model. The NCC confirmed that each MoU signatory has one vote, observers do not have voting rights, and decisions may translate into mandatory operational requirements for federation participation. A formal process was also launched for the election of NCC Co-Chairs.

The Node Operations Committee (NOC) reported on progress regarding FitSM adoption, governance alignment, and planning for 2026. The NOC confirmed three co-chairs and highlighted the need for FitSM training across nodes, structured input collection on service management priorities, and closer alignment with the federation’s transition to production.

The NCC endorsed two Working Groups. The Architecture & Federating Policies Working Group will review technical policies and federating architecture, ensuring interoperability while preserving node autonomy. Its outputs will feed into the EOSC Handbook and support a structured policy adoption pathway, coordinated with the NOC. Two co-chairs were confirmed, with one position remaining open.

The newly established Training & Competencies Working Group aims to strengthen operational capacity by improving discoverability, interoperability, and reuse of training resources across nodes. Initial work will focus on defining a minimal metadata profile for training materials and building a federated training ecosystem, with attention to sustainability and adoption planning.The Committee agreed to extend future meetings to two-hour slots to accommodate the growing agenda. The next meeting is scheduled for 26 March 2026.