"The ERICON-AB project will generate the strategic, legal, financial and organisational frameworks required from National Governments and the European Commission to commit financial resources to the construction and running of the European Polar Research Icebreaker AURORA BOREALIS. Scientific management frameworks will be assessed including mechanisms to handle dedicated large-scale multi-year or special mission specific research programmes. The strategic integration of the facility into the fabric of the European Research Area shall be achieved by connecting the national research priorities and the demand of ship time of the stakeholder countries with a European level facility. The relevance of the facility in promoting science and technology cooperation with EU strategic partner countries such as the Russian Federation will be specifically analysed. Deliverables will focus on moving the project from the preparatory phase to the construction phase by addressing key barriers especially in relation to engineering financial models that allow the mixed participation of EU member states and Non-EU partner countries. Consortium partners and legal experts will develop the legal/political frameworks for joint ownership and operation of a multi-country research facility. A dedicated legal implementation structure for managing and operating the AURORA BOREALIS will be proposed and its connection with other existing research assets such as Polar Stations, air support and supporting satellite assets will be analysed. The final deliverables of this project will be concerned with reaching a decision point and agreement with nations ready to move forward with the construction phase. It is anticipated that a series of natural decision points for agencies/governments to pass on their individual degree of integration into the project will be programmed in to the ERICON - AB Stakeholder councils meetings."