The Einstein Telescope (ET) is emerging as one of Europe’s most significant scientific and territorial initiatives, combining frontier research with long-term opportunities for regional development, innovation and industrial transformation. Conceived as Europe’s next-generation underground gravitational-wave observatory, the project is expected to open new frontiers in astrophysics while generating wider benefits in fields such as precision engineering, photonics, cryogenics, advanced manufacturing, data processing and skills development. ET will be a laser interferometer, with arms 10km long, and will be listening to the gravitational signals coming from the cosmos deep underground, at depths between 100 and 300 metres, to be isolated from the vibrations produced by both seismic waves and human activities.
What makes the Einstein Telescope especially relevant for EURADA is its strong interregional dimension: the project is not only about identifying a suitable host site for a major research infrastructure, but also about mobilising complementary assets across territories and building cooperation between regions, research centres, public authorities and innovation ecosystems. In this sense, the initiative already illustrates how scientific ambition can be matched by a broader European logic of territorial collaboration and shared impact.
Several European regions are currently involved in the race to host the telescope. Among them, Sardinia has positioned itself through the Sos Enattos site, known for its geological and environmental characteristics that are particularly favourable for this type of infrastructure. The Euregio Meuse-Rhine, spanning parts of the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany, is also advancing a strong cross-border candidature built on transnational cooperation. More recently, Lusatia in the Free State of Saxony has also entered the picture as an official candidate territory, further reinforcing the European scope of the initiative. A particularly noteworthy development is the established cooperation between Sardinia and the Free State of Saxony: rather than approaching the process solely through competition, the two regions are promoting a joint candidature built on the idea that a double observatory (L-shaped configuration) in their respective territories could maximise scientific, economic and territorial impact. This approach reflects a forward-looking vision and is considered particularly effective in terms of scientific impact, technical feasibility, cost efficiency, and risk mitigation.
At the same time, the other candidate territories are also building structured ecosystems around the Einstein Telescope. In the Euregio Meuse-Rhine bid, LIOF, one of EURADA’s Dutch members, plays a central role by leading the valorisation programme and coordinating with other Dutch regional development companies to connect the project to innovation, business development and industrial uptake. On the Belgian side, the ecosystem is equally well established: Wallonia, which states that around 70% of the potential infrastructure could lie in its subsoil around Plombières, Aubel and Welkenraedt, is mobilising a broad set of actors including SPW Économie Emploi Recherche, GRE-Liège, AWEX, Wallonie-Bruxelles International, Wallonie Entreprendre and the University of Liège. Together with German partners in the Euregio, these actors show that the Einstein Telescope is not only a competition between candidate sites, but also a European initiative already supported by mature cross-border ecosystems capable of linking science, innovation and territorial development.
After the successful inclusion in the ESFRI Roadmap 2021, the Einstein Telescope project has entered its preparatory phase, with the three candidate sites currently under evaluation. The governments of countries actively supporting the Einstein Telescope have planned a process towards a location decision, currently foreseen in 2027. Beyond the hosting decision itself, the construction and operation of the Einstein Telescope are expected to generate substantial economic benefits across Europe, notably through the creation of jobs in engineering, manufacturing and other industrial sectors, the attraction of funding and investment in research and development, and the strengthening of partnerships between academia, industry and public authorities. At the same time, the technological innovations emerging from the project could have far-reaching applications in fields ranging from healthcare to telecommunications. This effort will also be accompanied by a significant education and outreach programme designed to engage the wider public, and especially younger generations, in gravitational-wave science, physics and astronomy, while raising broader awareness of the cultural, economic and societal value of fundamental research in an increasingly interconnected world.
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