The COST mission aims to enable breakthrough scientific developments leading to new concepts and products, which thereby contribute to strengthen Europe’s research and innovation capacities. COST contributes to the objective of strengthening the scientific and technological bases of the European Research Area (ERA) by encouraging researchers to share, create and apply knowledge.

COST is supported by the European Union (EU) Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) of the European Community1 through a dedicated Coordination and Support Action (CSA). The European Commission (EC) has signed a COST II Grant Agreement with the European Science Foundation (ESF) as COST implementing agent until the end of FP7. The ESF is entrusted with the execution of COST activities and has therefore established the COST Office in Brussels which implements all COST activities as determined by the COST Committee of Senior Officials (CSO).