The ILL provides a framework in which Collaborating Research Groups (CRGs) can build and manage instruments on ILL beamlines to carry out their own research programmes. The CRGs provide scientific and technical support and cover the general operating costs of these instruments. In response to the scientific demands of the user community, and subject to the available resources for operation, the beam time reserved for ILL can be made accessible to users via the subcommittees.

There are currently three different categories of CRG instruments.

• CRG-A category, in which the external group leases an instrument owned by ILL. They have 50% of the beam time at their disposal and for the remaining 50% they support ILL's scientific user programme.
• CRG-B category owns their instrument and retains 70% of the available beam time, supporting the ILL programme for the other 30%.
• CRG-C category's instruments are used full time for specific research programmes by the external group, which has exclusive use of the beam.

Ten CRGs are currently in operation.

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