A European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ERIC) is a full juridical person and a corporation under European Union law. With a membership of at least one European Union member state and two EU member or associated states, it has legal personality and full legal capacity recognized in all Member States. Currently there are 25 ERICs established.[1]
The primary objective of an ERIC is to establish and operate, through its Members, a research infrastructure of European importance on a non-economic basis. In order to promote innovation and knowledge and technology transfer, the ERIC should be allowed to carry out some limited economic activities if they are closely related to its principal task and they do not jeopardize its achievement.[2]