Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/2166 of 29 September 2026 amending Implementing Decision 2013/700/EU setting up the European Social Survey as a European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ESS ERIC) (notified under document C(2026) 6735) (Only the Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Irish, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Polish, Portuguese, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish and Swedish texts are authentic) (Text with EEA relevance)
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Address https://gelex.eu/eli/EU/decision/2026/2166@2026-09-29/en
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 723/2009 of 25 June 2009 on the Community legal framework for a European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ERIC), and in particular Article 11(1) thereof,
Whereas:
(1) Regulation (EC) No 723/2009 has been incorporated into the Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA) by Decision of the EEA Joint Committee No 72/2015.
(2) The European Social Survey was set up as a European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ESS ERIC) by Commission Decision 2013/700/EU.
(3) The Statutes of the European Social Survey as a European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ESS ERIC) were amended by Implementing Decision C(2019) 2803.
(4) ESS ERIC submitted on 9 October 2025 a proposal to the Commission to amend its Statutes in accordance with Article 11(1) of Regulation (EC) No 723/2009.
(5) The Commission has, pursuant to Article 5(2) of Regulation (EC) No 723/2009, assessed the application and concluded that it meets the requirements set out in that Regulation.
(6) The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee established by Article 20 of Regulation (EC) No 723/2009,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
The Statutes of the ESS ERIC annexed to Decision 2013/700/EU are amended in accordance with the Annex to this Decision.
Article 2
This Decision is addressed to the Republic of Austria, the Kingdom of Belgium, the Republic of Bulgaria, the Republic of Croatia, the Republic of Cyprus, the Czech Republic, the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Finland, the French Republic, the Federal Republic of Germany, the Hellenic Republic, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, the State of Israel, the Italian Republic, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, Montenegro, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Norway, the Republic of Poland, the Portuguese Republic, the Slovak Republic, the Republic of Slovenia, the Kingdom of Spain, the Kingdom of Sweden, the Swiss Confederation and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Done at Brussels, 29 September 2026. For the Commission Ekaterina Zaharieva Member of the Commission
ANNEX
ANNEX
Article 1 of the Statutes of the ESS ERIC annexed to Decision 2013/700/EU is amended as follows:
(a)3. paragraph 3 is replaced by the following: The statutory seat of the ESS ERIC shall be located in the Host Country selected and approved by the General Assembly. In agreeing to be a Host Country, that country shall agree to give at least two years notice to the ESS ERIC of any intention to cease to be the Host Country and the General Assembly shall give at least two years notice to the Host Country of any intention to change the Host Country. Within such country the statutory seat shall normally be hosted at the host institution (Host Institution) as may be determined by the General Assembly when necessary.;
(b)4. paragraph 4 is replaced by the following: The statutory seat of the ESS ERIC shall be located in London, in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland for so long as it is either a Member State or an Associated Country within the meaning of Regulation (EC) No 723/2009. The Host country shall be the United Kingdom. The Host Institution shall be City St George’s, University of London. The Host Institution will serve for a period of four years renewable. Should the United Kingdom become a third country other than associated country within the meaning of Regulation (EC) No 723/2009, the statutory seat shall be located in Bergen, Norway. Otherwise, a change to the statutory seat shall be subject to a Decision of the European Commission, in accordance with Article 11(1) of Regulation (EC) No 723/2009. The Host Country and Host Institution shall be selected by the General Assembly whenever a vacancy in the Host Country or Host Institution has or will have occurred..