Main hurdle cleared for the foundation of the European XFEL GmbH

During its 19th meeting in Hamburg on 22 September 2008, the International Steering Committee (ISC) adopted the contents of the intergovernmental convention for the construction and operation of the European XFEL, the European X-ray free-electron laser. This was really hard work because all the particulars had to be elaborated at length and then agreed on by 14 countries with very different cultures. It required a lot of meetings of the ISC and its subcommittees, and discussions among experts.

The next step will now be the formal preparation of the signing of the convention, including the translation of the comprehensive 40-pages English text into six other languages. If all goes according to plan, high-ranking government officials of the 13 foreign countries involved will join German federal research minister Dr. Annette Schavan in Berlin in early 2009 to sign the convention. This treaty then forms the basis for the foundation of the European XFEL GmbH, the limited liability company that will be responsible for the construction and operation of the European X-ray laser facility, and which could be established immediately afterwards.

The following 14 countries are participating in the European XFEL: China, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Each country will be represented by one or two corresponding shareholder. For Germany, this will be the Helmholtz research centre DESY.