Closing of the EMPIR Programme: Twelve Years of Collaborative Metrological Research in the EU
The official closing ceremony of the European Metrology Programme for Innovation and Research (EMPIR) took place on 7 May 2026 in Brussels. LNE was present alongside representatives from the national metrology institutes that are members of EURAMET, the European Commission, and the programme's academic and industrial partners.
An unprecedented programme for European metrology
Launched in 2014 under Horizon 2020, EMPIR mobilised a total budget of €600 million over seven annual calls for projects, including €300 million funded by the European Commission and additional co-funding from participating Member States. By the end of the programme, 240 research projects had been successfully completed, involving 1,500 companies and 450 universities and research organisations across Europe. The programme’s outcomes resulted in 2,000 peer-reviewed publications and 4,000 contributions to standardisation committees, reflecting a deliberate alignment between fundamental research and standards development.
The French laboratories belonging to the French National Metrology Network (RNMF), coordinated by LNE, took part in 114 of the 240 projects, placing France among the programme’s most active contributors.
LNE involved in the governance of the successor programme
The transition to the European Partnership on Metrology (EPM), EMPIR’s successor under Horizon Europe, is already underway. Maguelonne Chambon, Director of Scientific and Technological Research at LNE, signed the programme’s implementation agreement on behalf of the French metrology community and chairs its Steering Committee.
With a budget of €740 million, including a French contribution of €58 million, the EPM aims to build on EMPIR’s achievements while directing metrology research towards major global challenges, including the climate and digital transitions and public health issues.
