EURO-FOS aims at creating a powerful pan-European network on photonic subsystems by clustering top European systems groups with proven track record in the design, development and evaluation of photonic subsystems. EURO-FOS aims at bridging the gap between research on device-level physics and new architectures from the network-level. The first objective of the project is the integration of researchers through exchange and mobility, allowing for innovation and reinforcing common research thrusts. The second objective is the access to expensive infrastructure creating “economies of scale” in the development and testing of photonic subsystems. The third objective is the strengthening of European research by creating a mechanism for partners to access devices developed in complementary European projects on photonic components. Functional integration of devices will create new ideas through the design and development of new subsystems within the project. EURO-FOS fourth objective is to complement European Commission efforts for combating Europe’s difficulty to turn scientific know-how developed in universities into exploitable technology. This will be achieved through the creation of an academic pan-European laboratory with strong industrial links. The creation of this lab can bridge the gap created by the shutdown or downsizing of major R&D industrial labs and help innovative SMEs that find it increasingly difficult to allocate R&D expenditure for basic research and expensive testing facilities. EURO-FOS is expected to have a high impact on Europe’s research through integration of people and clustering of research groups under the guidance of European industry. The creation of a unified and coherent European network of researchers with excellence in this field will ensure that Europe excels in this crucial part of the photonic systems development chain that links device-level physics and network architectures. Moreover, the creation of the pan-European research lab with diverse R&D capabilities, highly-skilled scientific personnel and state-of-the-art testing facilities, will critically assist Europe’s industry to perform innovative research and evaluate their developed technology in a system environment with advanced equipment and using accurate methods defined by EURO-FOS researchers.