Policy brief - Research Infrastructures CALL: HORIZON-INFRA-2023-DEV-01TOPIC: HORIZON-INFRA-2023-DEV-01-02 - Early phase implementation of ESFRI Projects which entered the ESFRI Roadmap in 2018PROJECT: 101130121 — DiSSCo TransitionWebsite: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101130121PROJECT — objectives:1) Advance the DiSSCo ERIC process and complete its policy framework, ensuring the smooth early-phase Implementation of DISSCo;2) Engage & support DiSSCo National Nodes to strengthen national commitments;3) Advance the development of core e-services to avoid the accumulation of technical debt before the start of the Implementation Phase;4) Continue international collaboration on standards & best practices needed for the DiSSCo service provision; and5) Continue supporting DiSSCo RI interim governance bodies and transition them to the DiSSCo ERIC formal governance. Name and email address of the operational project coordinator: Dr Dimitris Koureas, dimitris.koureas@naturalis.nl Policy area: Implementation of research infrastructures. This policy brief advocates for the broader adoption of the Implementation Readiness Level (IRL) framework as a standardised progress monitoring tool for European distributed Research Infrastructures (RIs). Drawing on the successful application within the Distributed System of Scientific Collections (DiSSCo) RI through its preparatory (DiSSCo Prepare) and transitional (DiSSCo Transition) phases, the IRL framework offers a robust, multi-dimensional approach to assess and enhance maturity across critical areas: technical, scientific, data, organisational, and financial. This systematic methodology ensures RIs achieve operational excellence and long-term sustainability, while providing funders with transparent, evidence-based insights for strategic investment decisions. DiSSCo Transition Project is funded by the European Union, under grant number 101130121. Views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Executive Agency. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.