This July, the development of the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC) Federation reached a major milestone during a back-to-back double meeting in Brussels. On 7-8 July, the EOSC Federation meetup group meeting brought together technical experts and representatives from 28 Candidate EOSC Nodes to synchronise the transition from prototype to production, planned for this autumn. Immediately following on 8-9 July, the annual Horizon Europe EOSC-related projects coordination meeting convened representatives from 34 projects to ensure that research outcomes, tools, and interoperability solutions feed directly into the maturing infrastructure. 

The EGI Foundation played a prominent role throughout the week, aligning its candidate node efforts and its extensive project portfolio with the future of Europe's joint research data space.

A central highlight of the week was the mobilisation of first and second-wave EOSC Nodes preparing for operational readiness. As technical services, helpdesks, and authentication frameworks integrate, the EGI Foundation is positioning itself at the heart of this expanding network through the EGI Candidate EOSC Node. Diego Scardaci, Technical Solutions Lead and coordinator of the EGI Candidate EOSC Node, represented EGI’s operational commitments during these sessions as the community prepares for the production push.

"The transition of the EOSC Federation into a robust production environment is an important test of its utility to the European research community," noted Diego. "As coordinator of the EGI Candidate EOSC Node, our goal is to ensure that EGI’s proven federated capabilities successfully integrate into this growing landscape, delivering reliable advanced computing and data services to researchers tackling scientific questions."

The second half of the double meeting highlighted how Horizon Europe projects act as engines of innovation for the federation, delivering essential federating capabilities and AI solutions. EGI’s strategic contributions are carried forward through three coordinated initiatives: the ongoing EOSC Beyond, EOSC Data Commons, and the newly introduced EOSC Mesh project. 

Set to officially launch in September 2026, EOSC Mesh was presented in Brussels as a vital mechanism for expanding the federation and introducing next-generation, decentralised interoperability capabilities.

Dale Robertson, Strategy and Innovation Lead & EOSC Liaison Manager at the EGI Foundation, emphasised EGI’s long-standing leadership in aligning these complex initiatives within the broader community.

"EGI’s presence at these coordination meetings as a key, active member of the EOSC Community is vital for ensuring technical and strategic continuity," said Dale. "By strategically aligning EOSC Beyond, EOSC Data Commons, and the upcoming EOSC Mesh, we are not just developing isolated tools; we are actively feeding unified, production-ready solutions directly into the EOSC Federation's fabric."

The back-to-back meetings in Brussels made it clear that the success of the EOSC Federation relies on deep, cross-project synchronisation and user engagement. As the community prepares for the autumn production phase, EGI will continue to lead these collaborative efforts.

The next major milestones are just around the corner, as the upcoming EOSC Mesh project will officially kick off at EGI2026 in Ghent this September, while EOSC Beyond and EOSC Data Commons will both host public sessions as part of the conference programme. Register now and join us there!