Switzerland and the EU have agreed on a partial association, which will provisionally come into effect on 15 September 2014 and initially run until the end of 2016. An agreement to that effect has yet to be signed by the Federal Council but is expected to be signed by both sides in December 2014.
This partial association allows researchers in Switzerland to again participate as associated and equally entitled partners in all activities under the first pillar of Horizon 2020, comprising ERC grants, Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions, Future and Emerging Technologies (FET) and Research infrastructures, from 15 September 2014. Researchers in Switzerland will also be able to participate as associated partners in the programme section on Spreading Excellence and Widening Participation. As associated partners, researchers in Switzerland will again receive direct funding from the EU.
For all other Horizon 2020 calls (second and third pillar) Switzerland remains a third country entity. In these programme areas Swiss partners can still join European collaborative projects, however they will not be entitled to any direct funding from the EU for their part. As a result of the outcome of the popular vote of 9 February 2014 on the mass immigration initiative, the European Union continues to reject Switzerland's full association to the Horizon 2020 package.
Information
Euresearch Lausanne
Anne-Emmanuelle.deCrousaz@unil.ch
021 693 47 50