METROFOOD-PP (METROFOOD-RI Preparatory Phase Project - H2020 INFRADEV-02-2019, GA 871083) represents the project specifically dedicated to the realisation of the Preparatory Phase of METROFOOD-RI. It aims at supporting METROFOOD-RI to grow from its current status to a mature, centrally-coordinated, integrated RI, with the legal, financial and technical maturity required for implementing it.

The main objective is to develop the organizational, operational and strategic framework of METROFOOD-RI. Activities include legal, governance, financial, technical, strategic and administrative aspects carried out in 15 work packages, organised in 3 blocks dedicated respectively to:

the organisation of the legal entity that will manage the future RI, i.e. ERIC;

define the operation and the operational standards at the level of the whole RI and for the National Nodes, as well as the role of the RI as service-oriented organisation;

define the long term activities for the future RI and update the Strategic Research & Innovation Agenda, in response to the actual and future challenges in the agrifood sector and for the Society.

The main outcome will be the establishment of legal and financial commitment for the future ERIC, ensuring long-term common commitment, decision-making and funding engagement. Continuous relations with stakeholders and the user community will be kept in order to ensure the addressing of their needs at the best, and to focus strategies and planned services. 

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement No 871083