Minister of Economic Affairs and Information Technology Tiit Riisalo (Eesti 200) said: "Full membership of CERN is important for Estonia since it will mean that there will no longer be any financial ceiling when it comes to us taking part in tenders and entering into employment contracts."

"It will give them wider-ranging opportunities to participate in CERN tenders as well," he added.

Local companies will now also be able to engage in scientific cooperation at the highest level, he said, given CERN promotes international cooperation in the field of fundamental nuclear research.

Being a full member of CERN will give Estonia voting rights, and with them a say in the organization's decision-making processes, the minister added.

The agreement granting Estonia associate member status in February 2021 provided for the country to become a full member within a minimum of two and a maximum of five years.

The CERN convention and the Financial Protocol accompanying it will come into effect for Estonia as of the date on which the country presents its letter of accession to the Director-General of UNESCO.

From that point, Estonia is a full member of CERN. The CERN Protocol on privileges and immunities will enter force for Estonia 30 days after it has presented its letter of accession.

CERN (pronounced /sɜːrn/) was founded 70 years ago this year and is located in Geneva. It hosts particle accelerators and other infrastructure needed for high-energy physics research, most famously the Large Hadron Collider. CERN activities among other actuvutus mimic the aftermath of the Big Bang by sending beams of protons hurtling into one another at close to the speed of light

Estonia's joins 23 other represented countries in its full membership.

In March, CERN said it would be suspending all cooperation with Russian scientists.

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