D2.2.1 Report on Analysis of Adequate Governance Structure

The objective of the project Partnership for Advanced Computing in Europe (PRACE) within the INFRA-2007-2.2.2.1 - Preparatory phase for 'Computer and Data Treatment' research infrastructures in the 2006 ESFRI Roadmap is the establishment of a persistent pan-European high performance computing (HPC) service and infrastructure. This infrastructure will be managed as a single European entity.
This document is the first deliverable of three on the governance structure for the PRACE organization, the final document will form part of the statutes of the PRACE organization. Work has proceeded under the general principle that form should follow function, and the responsibilities of PRACE serve as the starting point for the document. The objective and scope of the governance structure are discussed and an overview of the PRACE stake holders is given. The governance structures of various different but comparable research infrastructures are described and analyzed with the needs of the PRACE organization in mind. The effect of the ESFRI/ EC ERI legal initiative on the governance structure is also examined, as it is considered to be one of the desirable legal forms for PRACE. Finally, an initial idea for a governance structure is outlined and its compatibility with the different national and European legal forms is analyzed.