Geneva, 30 August 2024. Today, CERN is welcoming Estonia as its 24th Member State, marking the end of the formal application process that started in 2018 and crowning a period of cooperation that stretches back three decades.
“Estonia is delighted to join CERN as a full Member because CERN accelerates more than tiny particles, it also accelerates international scientific collaboration and our economies. We have seen this potential during our time as Associate Member State and we are keen to begin our full contribution,” said Alar Karis, President of Estonia.
“On behalf of the CERN Council, I warmly welcome Estonia as the newest Member State of CERN,” said Eliezer Rabinovici, President of the CERN Council. “I am happy to see the community of CERN Member States enlarging, and I am looking forward to the enhanced participation of Estonia in the CERN Council and to its additional scientific contributions to CERN.”
“Estonia and CERN have been collaborating closely for some 30 years, and I am very pleased to welcome Estonia to the ever-growing group of CERN Member States,” said Fabiola Gianotti, CERN Director-General. “I am sure the country and its scientific community will benefit from increased opportunities in fundamental research, technology development, and education and training.”
The bilateral relationship formally began in 1996, when Estonia and CERN signed a first cooperation agreement. A second such agreement, which further developed their scientific and technical cooperation, was concluded between the parties in 2010. On 19 June 2020, the parties signed an agreement concerning the granting to Estonia of the status of Associate Member State in the pre-stage to Membership of CERN, which entered into force on 1 February 2021.
Estonia has a broad engagement in the CERN scientific programme, and has been part of the CMS collaboration since 1997. Estonia’s CMS team participates in data analysis and the Worldwide LHC Computing Grid (WLCG), for which Estonia operates one of the Tier 2 centres, located in Tallinn. Scientists from Estonia also contribute to other experiments, including CLOUD, COMPASS, NA66 and TOTEM, and to studies for future colliders (CLIC and the Future Circular Collider, FCC). Estonian theorists are also very much involved in collaborations with CERN.
As a CERN Member State, Estonia will have voting rights in the Council, CERN’s highest decision-making authority. Membership will enhance opportunities for Estonian nationals to be recruited by CERN and for Estonian industry to bid for CERN contracts.
Science is CERN’s primary mission, and Estonia’s membership shows that the Organization’s exciting scientific programme continues to attract interest and support across the world.