This release was issued on June 18, 2010, by CERN.
At its 155th session [Friday], the CERN Council strongly congratulated the Laboratory on the excellent performance of the LHC since its start-up for physics on 30 March this year. Council also opened the door to greater integration in particle physics when it unanimously adopted the recommendations of a working group set up in 2008 to examine the role of the Organization in the light of increasing globalization in particle physics.
The key points agreed at today's meeting are that:
- All states shall be eligible for Membership, irrespective of their geographical location;
- A new Associate Membership status is to be introduced to allow non-Member States to establish or intensify their institutional links with the Organization;
- Associate Membership shall also serve as the obligatory pre-stage to Membership;
- The existing Observer status will be phased out for States, but retained for International Organizations;
- International co-operation agreements and protocols will be retained.
Applications for Membership from Cyprus, Israel, Serbia, Slovenia and Turkey have already been received by the CERN Council, and are undergoing technical verification. At future meetings, Council will determine how to apply the new arrangements to these States.
"This is a milestone in CERN's history and a giant leap for particle physics", said Michel Spiro, President of the CERN Council. "It recognizes the increasing globalization of the field, and the important role played by CERN on the world stage."
"Particle physics is becoming increasingly integrated at the global level," said CERN Director General Rolf Heuer. "Today's decision contributes to creating the conditions that will enable CERN to play a full role in any future facility wherever in the world it might be."
In other business, Council recognized that further work is necessary on the Organization's medium term plan, in order to maintain a vibrant research programme through a period of financial austerity, and endorsed CERN's new Code of Conduct.
"CERN's new code of conduct enshrines the core values of this Organization," said Spiro, "integrity, commitment, professionalism, creativity and diversity - which taken together add up to excellence."
Full details of the new Membership arrangements are available in Council document CERN/2918.
