JRC transfers nuclear research equipment to the Czech Academy of Sciences

The Joint Research Centre (JRC) has relocated its Surface Science Laboratory Station – a multi-purpose instrument for nuclear research – to the Czech Academy of Sciences. The 7-metre-long equipment was transferred to Prague from JRC Karlsruhe in Germany over the course of the last four months. Today, 12 February 2026, it was officially inaugurated at its new location. 

The instrument has important applications in fields such as energy, safety, and industrial research. It is made up of various modules that can be operated independently and adapted to specific needs, making it a cutting-edge machine with few equivalents in the world. 

It is the first time that the JRC transfers a major scientific instrument to a research institute in an EU country, giving local researchers access to a world-class facility. The equipment will remain available to European researchers through the JRC Open Access Programme, contributing to the development of important nuclear skills and competences for academia, industry, and the public sector. 

This is a historic milestone, as it opens new possibilities to maximise the impact of European research investments. It is a pilot initiative that may be replicated in the future within the Euratom community.