diff --git a/invenio.cfg b/invenio.cfg
index 1bd1f1f5..1ee1baf8 100644
--- a/invenio.cfg
+++ b/invenio.cfg
@@ -515,6 +515,17 @@ CDS_COMMITTEE_APPROVAL_COMMUNITIES = {
             "counter_digits": 3,  # zero-padding width, e.g. 3 → "001"
         },
     },
+    "1c46ceab-af68-4502-a436-cdf5a4cfbbe0": {
+        # isolde
+        "read_only": True,  # only allow read-only access to this community
+        "label": "EP approval",
+        "referee_group": "cds-ph-ep-publication",
+        "report_number": {
+            "prefix": "CERN-EP",
+            "include_year": True,
+            "counter_digits": 3,
+        },
+    },
 }
 #
 # CDS_COMMITTEE_APPROVAL_COMMUNITIES = {
diff --git a/site/cds_rdm/requests/committee_approval.py b/site/cds_rdm/requests/committee_approval.py
index dbe994c6..ee2154c2 100644
--- a/site/cds_rdm/requests/committee_approval.py
+++ b/site/cds_rdm/requests/committee_approval.py
@@ -71,7 +71,13 @@ def _resolve_community_config(request):
         "CDS_COMMITTEE_APPROVAL_COMMUNITIES", {}
     )
     if default_community_id in committee_communities:
-        return committee_communities[default_community_id]
+        config = committee_communities[default_community_id]
+        if config.get("read_only"):
+            raise ValidationError(
+                "This community's approval workflow is read-only. "
+                "No new committee approval requests can be submitted."
+            )
+        return config
     raise ValidationError(
         # TODO: do we need i18n for these errors?
         "The record's community is not enrolled in the committee approval workflow. "
diff --git a/site/cds_rdm/requests/committee_approval_state.py b/site/cds_rdm/requests/committee_approval_state.py
index db6fc409..76a966d9 100644
--- a/site/cds_rdm/requests/committee_approval_state.py
+++ b/site/cds_rdm/requests/committee_approval_state.py
@@ -222,9 +222,31 @@ def get_committee_approval_state(record_ui, record=None):
         pass
 
     open_request = _get_open_request(record_id, parent_record)
-    can_submit = _check_can_manage_community(community_id)
     approved_report_number = ea.get("reportnumber")
-    can_create_public = _check_can_create_public(can_submit, ea, record_id)
+
+    community_read_only = community_config.get("read_only", False)
+    if community_read_only:
+        if not approved_report_number:
+            return {
+                "can_submit": False,
+                "can_create_public": False,
+                "approval_label": _approval_label(community_config),
+                "committee_name": _committee_name(community_config),
+                "community_enrolled": False,
+                "is_public_approved_record": False,
+                "open_request": None,
+                "approved_report_number": None,
+                "approval_date": None,
+                "committee_approval": {},
+                "draft_record_id": None,
+                "can_view_reviewed_version": False,
+                "receiver_group": None,
+            }
+        can_submit = False
+        can_create_public = False
+    else:
+        can_submit = _check_can_manage_community(community_id)
+        can_create_public = _check_can_create_public(can_submit, ea, record_id)
 
     cern_scientific_community_id = current_app.config.get(
         "CDS_CERN_SCIENTIFIC_COMMUNITY_ID"