Parliament still has to confirm Federal Council approves EU agreement on research programs
Switzerland is on its way back into EU research programs. On Wednesday, the Federal Council approved the text of the agreement negotiated with the European Commission.
10.04.2025, 08:36
10.04.2025, 08:39
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- Switzerland is to participate in the Horizon Europe, Euratom and Digital Europe research programs retroactively from 1 January 2025; the signing of the corresponding agreement is planned for November 2025.
- The agreement will only enter into force after ratification by Parliament or possibly the people, but is to be applied provisionally by the end of 2028 at the latest.
- The Eupa agreement creates the framework for future program participations, including Erasmus plus from 2027 and ITER from 2026, and is part of a more comprehensive package of agreements with the EU.
The signing will enable retroactive association with the Horizon Europe research program, the Euratom program and the Digital Europe program as of 1 January 2025, as Parmelin announced at a media conference in Bern on Thursday. It is scheduled for November 2025.
However, the agreement does not enter into force once it has been signed. This still requires the approval of Parliament and possibly the electorate in the so-called ratification process. However, the agreement is to be provisionally applied until then or until December 31, 2028 at the latest, according to the statement.
The EU program agreement (Eupa) consists of two parts: a general part, which forms the legal framework for all Swiss participation in programs, and a program-specific part, which regulates Switzerland's specific participation in individual programs in attached protocols.
The first part is open-ended, while the second must be renegotiated for each program generation, according to the Federal Council. New protocols may be added or expiring protocols may not be renewed.
Erasmus plus from 2027
Switzerland could take part in the Erasmus plus education program from 2027, according to the statement. And Switzerland's association with the international nuclear fusion reactor Iter is planned from 2026.
Thanks to a transitional arrangement, researchers in Switzerland are already participating in almost all Horizon Europe calls for proposals, according to the Research Minister. The project costs would be financed by the European Commission. In return, Switzerland will transfer its mandatory contribution for participation in the 2025 program year to the EU.
EU Commission to sign contract
The Eupa is part of a package of agreements negotiated between Switzerland and the EU last year. The texts for the programs were provisionally signed by the respective chief negotiators in Brussels last week. The initialling of the remaining agreements is still pending and is planned for May, according to the Federal Council.
However, the Eupa remains part of the package for the consultation process, the dispatch and parliamentary deliberations. The Federal Council plans to open the consultation process before the summer.
The European Commission would also like to sign the Eupa with Switzerland. It requested the approval of its member states on Wednesday. The Brussels authority needs the green light from the EU Council, which is made up of representatives from the 27 EU member states, to sign the agreement.
