At its 225th session, the CERN Council recently received recommendations for updating the European Strategy for Particle Physics.
The aim of the European Strategy for Particle Physics is to develop a common vision for the future of the field, and decisions based on this will be reviewed in the coming months.
“The ESG recommendations represent a pivotal milestone in the Strategy process and for the future of the field,” said CERN Director-General Fabiola Gianotti.
“The proposed strategic directions, in particular concerning the next flagship collider at CERN, will inspire the next generation of scientists and ensure that CERN and its international partners remain at the forefront of discovery and technology in our discipline.”
A final decision is expected at a dedicated Council Session in Budapest in May 2026.
Advancing human knowledge in fundamental physics
Launched in March 2024, the update to the European Strategy for Particle Physics (ESPP) process aims to develop a visionary, concrete plan that significantly advances human knowledge in fundamental physics by realising the next flagship project at CERN.
This plan is geared towards attracting and promoting international collaboration and allowing Europe to continue to play a leading role in the field.
The ESPP is a bottom-up process that involves the European particle physics community and includes national input from CERN’s Member and Associate Member States and from international partners.
This input is assessed and consolidated by the European Strategy Group (ESG), a body appointed by the CERN Council.
2026 updates to the European Strategy for Particle Physics
For the 2026 update of the ESPP, the CERN Council requested that the Strategy update include the preferred option for the next collider at CERN and prioritised alternative options to pursue if the chosen preferred plan turns out to be infeasible or uncompetitive.
The ESG drafted its recommendations during a dedicated meeting held in Ascona, Switzerland, from 1 to 5 December 2025.
The council will assess the recommendations in the coming months and aims to make a decision in May 2026 at a dedicated Session to be held in Budapest.
Could the Future Circular Collider become CERN’s flagship?
The electron–positron Future Circular Collider (FCC-ee) is recommended as the preferred option for the next flagship collider at CERN.
It would provide a platform for a visionary physics programme addressing many of the open questions in particle physics, notably those concerning the Higgs boson.
These questions are critical to understanding the foundations of the Standard Model and to opening up opportunities to discover new physics beyond the Standard Model.
It would also drive the development of new technologies that will have a significant positive impact on society.
Karl Jakobs, Chair of the Strategy Secretariat, explained: “During the strategy process, we have seen a very strong engagement of the European particle physics community and beyond, expressing their views on the next flagship collider, on other physics and technology areas and topics of importance for our field.
“Based on this input, we had constructive discussions that ultimately yielded a clear picture and strong support for CERN to host the electron-positron Future Circular Collider, FCC-ee, as the next flagship project.”
