"The objective of the ELIXIR preparatory phase is to produce a memorandum or memoranda of understanding between organisations (government agencies, research councils, funding bodies and scientific organisations) within the member states, with the purpose of constructing a world class and globally positioned European infrastructure for the management and integration of information in the life sciences.To achieve this, we will address the following tasks and issues:1 Define the scope of the infrastructure, its role and benefits2 Define an appropriate governance and legal structure3 Define a long term funding structure to provide a sustainable infrastructure4 Define the requirements for the European Data Centre in the next 5-10 years and makes plans to meet these needs5 Involve all relevant stakeholders, including users, data providers, tools providers to ensure that the infrastructure meets their needs6 Explore integration and interoperability between core and specialised data resources and the development of standards in newly emerging fields7 Define the critical interdisciplinary links that need to be forged between the ‘biological’ and related scientific disciplines, including medicine, agriculture and the environment8 Define the needs of related European industries9 Define a training strategy to ensure that Europe effectively exploits all the available informationThe specific activities of the preparatory phase will include:A Holding stakeholder meetings to bring together national representatives, key scientific opinion and funding organisations.B Establishing working parties, supported by technical feasibility studies where appropriate, to address the tasks and issues above with final reports at month 18.C Consolidating these reports into a management and funding proposal to be sent to member states and funding agencies with draft MoU by month 38 and to seek agreement on the MoU and establish an Interim ELIXIR Board by month 50.D To establish the detailed organization of ELIXIR; and to draft and work toward the signing of the ELIXIR International Consortium Agreement"