ESFRI-EMPHASIS
The European Strategy Forum for Research Infrastructure (ESFRI) has identified “Plant Phenotyping” as a priority for the European research area and EMPHASIS has been listed on the ESFRI Roadmap as an infrastructure project to develop and implement a pan-European plant phenotyping infrastructure.
EMPHASIS results from long term consistent development funded by both Member States and the European Commission through the Research Infrastructure programs. Key elements in the establishment of EMPHASIS are funding and establishment of national plant phenotyping platforms which were also closely interaction in European research infrastructure and networking projects.
The Preparatory Phase of EMPHASIS (EU funded project EMPHASIS-PREP, submitted in June 2016) aims at bringing the EMPHASIS project to the level of legal, financial, and technical maturity required for implementation. EMPHASIS-PREP will provide the basis for the establishment the legal framework, the business plan and preparation of an information system for a sustainable and innovative pan-European infrastructure for plant phenotyping.
The EMPHASIS Support Group (EMPHASIS-SG) consists of representatives of the national communities of plant phenotyping interested in EMPHASIS. They inform and include their national plant phenotyping community in the process to design and set-up EMPHASIS. Each representative commits to support the development of EMPHASIS based on a mandate from their national plant phenotyping community by signing the so-called Policy
In that context, the EMPHASIS-Support Group plays an essential role to address the national and European Plant Phenotyping community at large.