Article 6 Partners

Scientific Partners are National Clinical Research Networks that:

1. (i)

   are composed of academic clinical research centres or clinical trials units with a national coordinating centre, or a coordination of disease-oriented networks;

2. (ii)

   have developed shared tools, procedures and practices to facilitate multi-centre studies, have reached the critical mass and represent the standard in the country;

3. (iii)

   are able to provide support to investigators and sponsors for any category of clinical research, in any disease area.

The following entities may become Scientific Partners of ECRIN-ERIC:

1. (i)

   National Clinical Research Networks proposed by Members of ECRIN-ERIC;

2. (ii)

   National Clinical Research Networks proposed by Observers of ECRIN-ERIC;

3. (iii)

   National Clinical Research Networks of any other EU Member or associated country, neither Member nor Observer of ECRIN-ERIC that provide a contribution as described in point 6 of Annex III;

4. (iv)

   National Clinical Research Networks of third countries, neither Member nor Observer of ECRIN-ERIC, that provide a contribution as described in point 6 of Annex III.

The Assembly of Members shall define the rules and conditions for establishing scientific partnerships with candidate Scientific Partners.

The rights and obligations governing the scientific partnership shall be set out in the Internal Rules of Procedure that shall be adopted by the Assembly of Members on proposal by the ECRIN-ERIC Director-General.

Scientific Partners shall assign a Senior Scientist that represents the National Clinical Research Network in the Network Committee as provided for under Article 9(1) of the present Statutes. In absence of the delegate, a proxy shall be designated.

Scientific Partners shall assign a coordinating centre (National Clinical Research Hub), which acts as the national contact point of ECRIN-ERIC.

Additional details in relation to the general cooperation policy among the Scientific Partners shall be set out in the Internal Rules of Procedure.

The rights and obligations governing the partnership of a Scientific Partner shall be set out in individual contracts agreed between the ECRIN-ERIC Director-General and the candidate Scientific Partner.

Scientific Partners of ECRIN-ERIC are listed in a document archived and updated by the ECRIN-ERIC Director-General, accessible on the ECRIN-ERIC website.

An Affiliate Partner shall be an organisation or body which has interest in collaborating with ECRIN-ERIC and wishes to be affiliated to ECRIN-ERIC.

Affiliate Partners may include:

1. (i)

   Disease-Oriented Investigation Networks;

2. (ii)

   Isolated clinical research centres in countries devoid of Scientific Partner;

3. (iii)

   Charitable or third sector organisations;

4. (iv)

   Patients’ organisations;

5. (v)

   Other Research Infrastructures;

6. (vi)

   Research organisations from the European Union, associated countries and other third countries.

The Assembly of Members shall define the rules and conditions for establishing affiliate partnerships with candidate Affiliate Partners.

The rights and obligations governing affiliate partnerships shall be set out in the Internal Rules of Procedure, and shall be adopted by the Assembly of Members on proposal by the ECRIN-ERIC Director-General.

The rights and obligations conditioning partnership of an Affiliate Partner to ECRIN-ERIC shall be set out in individual contracts negotiated between the Director-General and the candidate Affiliate Partner.

Affiliate Partners of ECRIN-ERIC are listed in a document archived and updated by the ECRIN-ERIC Director-General, accessible on the ECRIN-ERIC website.