Slovenia to become full member of CERN in second half of 2025
Ljubljana, 4 October - Slovenia is expected to become a full member of the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) in the second half of 2025, said Jure Gašparič, state secretary at the Higher Education, Science and Innovation Ministry, at a press conference on Friday, adding that the CERN council recently gave a positive assessment of Slovenia's preparedness.
Geneva, Switzerland
The Globe of Science and Innovation at CERN.
Photo: Daniel Novakovič/STA
File photo
Geneva, Switzerland
CERN .
Photo: Lea Udovč/STA
File photo
The CERN council gave a positive assessment of Slovenia's preparedness for full membership based on the report of a group of experts that visited Slovenia at the start of the year.
The delegation found that Slovenia has a developed community in the field of experimental particle physics, said Gašparič.
They also found Slovenia is committed to research in the long term, said Gašparič, stressing the Scientific Research and Innovation Activity Act which increases funding for research and development.
The experts said Slovenia is committed to the experimental particle physics in the long term and that cooperation between CERN and Slovenia would benefit both sides. Slovenian economy also has potential to cooperate with CERN, the group found.
After the CERN council issued a positive assessment, the CERN director Fabiolla Gianotti was tasked with an agreement with Slovenia on the next steps. Once the agreement is made, it has to be approved by the CERN council, which should be done at the latest in March 2025.
Formal procedures in Slovenia will follow. The National Assembly will ratify the agreement on CERN membership, which will have to be deposited with UNESCO. Slovenia will automatically become a full member of CERN 30 days later.
According to Gašparič, that is expected to happen in the second half of 2025.
Full membership in CERN will cost Slovenia CHF 3.5 million or EUR 3.7 million. Slovenia will also have to pay a one-time contribution of CHF 4.4 million (EUR 4.7 million) for the co-ownership of infrastructure.
As an associate member state Slovenia paid 70% of the full membership fee, said Gašparič, adding that the transition to full membership would not be a significant change in the financial sense.
Slovenia has been cooperating with CERN for 50 years. More than 40 Slovenian researchers are actively cooperating with CERN, while two are employed there. Some 20 Slovenian companies are already working with CERN. More opportunities for cooperation will open with full membership.
"This means we will be one of 25 countries, that this will be our laboratory, our infrastructure, that we will take part in all bodies, that we will decide on future development," Gašparič said.
Slovenia signed an agreement on associate membership in CERN in 2016. It was expected to become a full member in July 2024 but the process was delayed, also because of CERN's internal procedures.