In April 2013, the Government approved the large project proposal relating to Phase 1 of the large project entitled Implementation of the ELI Laser Research Centre (ELI-ALPS), prepared by ELI-HU Nonprofit Kft. The large tender documentation is therefore fit for submission to the European Commission. On the basis of the Government’s decision, the grant contract of the project can be concluded, that is, the implementation phase of the large investment, which is assigned a national economic priority, is ready to be launched — announced ELI-HU Nonprofit Kft. at a press conference held on 2 May 2013 in Budapest. The laser research centre in Szeged is planned to be built in two phases, with the co-financing of the Structural Funds of the European Union.

ELI-Extreme Light Infrastructure is one of the 44 Pan-European large equipment units contained in the strategic plan of the European research infrastructures. With regard to the project, Nándor Csepreghy, Deputy Minister of State of the Ministry of National Development responsible for development programmes, said that the implementation of the scientific centre is not only an extraordinary opportunity in terms of science and the economy for the region.

With the implementation of the project, namely, the competitiveness of related branches of science and their areas of application will also improve; new businesses and new jobs will be created, and the ELI project can lead to outstanding results in education and in the development of international scientific relations and result in additional development projects.

Lóránt Lehrner, managing director of ELI-HU Nonprofit Kft., welcomed the decision at the press conference held today, as the Government agrees with the implementation of Phases 1 and 2 of the ELI-ALPS large project, and the Government approved the large project proposal relating to Phase 1 of the large project entitled Implementation of the ELI Laser Research Centre (ELI-ALPS), prepared by ELI-HU Nonprofit Kft. The first phase of the large investment is expected to be completed by the end of 2015 in the implementation phase, which covers the construction of the research centre and the partial installation of the laser technology. Research can begin in early 2016, with the parallel implementation of the project’s second phase. As a result, from 2018, laser technology operated with even more specialised parameters will offer unique research opportunities for members of the international research community.

With regard to the preparations, Lóránt Lehrner said that “the 10 hectare area construction site and the roughly 6 hectare area service infrastructure area has been freed of ammunition and shrubs, and the concrete blocks serving earlier functions have been removed from the site. The preliminary archaeological exploration has also been completed at the development site. The construction works, foundation works are expected to begin in the autumn of this year.”

During the progress of the ELI project, Dr Viktória Tölgyesi, director of EU coordination of ELI-HU Nonprofit Kft., called the government decision a milestone, which opens up the possibility for the immediate submission of the prepared large project documentation to the European Commission, in accordance with the rules of procedure to be followed in connection with large projects. The aid application relates to the amount of HUF 36.998 billion available for the large project. Hungary is required to account for the sum toward the European Union by 31 December 2015. In the next EU budget period of 2014-2020, the net amount of HUF 24.3 billion is expected to be spent on the Hungarian project. She emphasised that according to the decision, the implementation of the ELI project, which is a national economic priority, may be launched prior to approval by the European Commission and after the conclusion of the grant contract, that is, the investment phase can begin. “In addition to the positive national evaluation of the large project, on an international level it is important that we signed the memorandum of association of the Belgian based international association for laser research, in accordance with Belgian laws, in April of this year, thereby establishing the legal framework of future international cooperation,” said Dr Viktória Tölgyesi.

Background:

The aim of the ELI-ALPS (Extreme Light Infrastructure Attosecond Light Purse Source) project is the establishment of a unique European research institute based on laser technology, where both laser impulses and additional light sources produced with them are available to international researchers. The institute in Szeged is unique among the world’s largest high-intensity impulse generating institutions with the most and also shortest impulses produced in less than one second. The equipment will not only produce outstanding research results in the area of ultra-fast basic physical processes, but also in the field of biological, medical and material sciences.

(Ministry of National Development)