Geneva, 16 June 2025. Scientists from all around the world will gather in Venice Lido, Italy, from 23 to 27 June to discuss the future direction of the particle physics field in the coming years, and to define the scientific goals to be achieved. 

The update of the European Strategy for Particle Physics (ESPP) is an open, inclusive and evidence-driven process that takes place every 5 to 7 years and takes into account the worldwide particle physics landscape and developments in related fields. Launched in March 2024, the 2026 ESPP update “aims to develop a visionary and concrete plan that greatly advances human knowledge in fundamental physics,  in particular through the realisation of the next flagship project at CERN”.

After receiving 263 submissions for the update in March 2025, the European Strategy Group and the Physics Preparatory Group have digested them all and are now ready to present and discuss them during a community-wide Open Symposium.

As the particle physics community drafts the roadmap for the future of the field, it will continue to discuss a successor to the Large Hadron Collider. More than 50 national and national-laboratory submissions taking a position on this specific topic have been received. Identifying a successor to the LHC is essential to allow CERN to maintain its leading position in the particle physics field. 

When possible projects and the input received are discussed in Venice, a wide range of factors will be considered, from sustainability to cost and timeline, with the goal of drafting an ambitious roadmap that enables major steps forward in our understanding of the Universe.

An online press briefing will be held on Friday, 27 June at 14:00  CEST, at the end of the symposium. Media representatives interested in attending the briefing should register by writing to the CERN press office at press@cern.chbefore 25 June. On-site participation in the symposium will not be possible, but a livestream will be available. The link can be obtained from the same e-mail address. 

Further information:

• Detailed programme of the symposium: https://agenda.infn.it/event/44943/timetable/#20250623
• An alphabetical list of all submissions, with direct links to the submitted material, is available on the Strategy web page.
• The submissions can also be accessed via this Indico page: https://indico.cern.ch/event/1439855/contributions/