Effective 2 April 2026, Chile has become an Associate Member State of CERN. Its status entered into force following Chile’s ratification of the Associate Member State Agreement of May 2025 and its accession to the Protocol on CERN’s Privileges and Immunities.

Chile is henceforth entitled to be represented at the CERN Council, Finance Committee and Scientific Policy Committee.

CERN’s partnership with Chile dates back to 1991, when the first international cooperation agreement was signed. Since then, Chilean universities and research institutions have made valuable contributions to a wide range of projects and currently participate in the ATLAS, CMS and LHCb experiments, the SND@LHC, NA64and SHiP collaborations and the activities of the ISOLDE facility.

Chile’s status as an Associate Member State marks a significant deepening of CERN’s relations in the Americas and will open a new era of collaboration with Chilean institutions. It will also provide opportunities for Chilean nationals, who are now eligible to apply for limited-duration staff positions and to participate in CERN’s graduate programmes, as well as for Chilean firms, which are now entitled to bid for CERN contracts, strengthening both CERN’s supplier base and Chile’s national industry and technology sectors.