Formed in 1971, COST laid the foundation for European cooperation in the area of research and development.

Based in Brussels, COST enables European research institutes, universities and companies to work together on a broad spectrum of activities, relating mainly to fundamental and pre-competitive research.

COST membership includes:

• the EU-27 member states
• Iceland
• Croatia
• F.Y.R. of Macedonia
• Norway
• Serbia
• Montenegro
• Switzerland
• Turkey
• Israel (as a cooperating state)

Since 1989, research institutes from non-COST member states have been able to take part in individual COST Actions.

COST’s role as an organisation is to coordinate research activities; it does not impose research programmes nor does it establish uniform research policies.

COST activities are organised according to “COST Actions” for various scientific domains. COST Actions are used to centre research efforts on specific topics relating to a given domain, thereby providing the structure needed to coordinate the various research projects.

COST Actions originate from base initiatives. The  COST Committee of Senior Officials  decides which COST Actions can be launched and the member states are free to decide whether or not they would like to take part in any given Action. COST Actions are launched when at least five participants from different member states agree to take part and sign a Memorandum of understanding.