European Spallation Source is a joint European project, like that of many large-scale research facilities such as CERN in Geneva. The European countries that are interested in building and operating ESS are forming a coalition and entering into a formal agreement with one of the countries that has offered to be host. Consequently, ESS is not an EU project.

 

Neutrons are a good instrument for probing material – everything from molecules and medicines to plastics and proteins. The extent as to how detailed studies can be is directly dependent on how many neutrons a neutron source can produce.

 
  • 1993 ESS Council is formed. The organisation consists of 18 major laboratories in 11 European countries.
  • 1997 ESS scientific form and technical data is presented, but Europe is not ready to make a decision. The concept is adopted by the USA, which begins to construct its own spallation facility – Spallation Neutron Source.