The proposal to include the Einstein Telescope, a pioneering third-generation gravitational-wave (GW) observatory, in the 2021 update of the European Strategic Forum for Research Infrastructures (ESFRI) roadmap has been submitted. The ESFRI roadmap describes the future major research infrastructures in Europe.

The conceptual design of the Einstein Telescope has been supported by a grant of the European Commission. Now a consortium of European countries and of research institutions and universities in Europe has officially submitted the proposal for the realisation of such an infrastructure with the political support of five European countries, Belgium, Poland, Spain and The Netherlands, led by Italy. The European Gravitational Observatory (EGO) in Italy constitutes its transitional headquarters. The ET consortium brings together about 40 research institutions and universities in several European countries, including also France, Germany, Hungary, Norway, Switzerland and United Kingdom.