The EU excludes the Swiss Confederation from “Horizon Europe”. For the time being, it applies to the research program, as announced on Wednesday, as a “non-associated third country”.
In some cases, this has dramatic consequences for Switzerland as a location for education and research. Swissuniversities, the rectors’ conference of Swiss universities, declared at the end of June that access to European programs would make it possible to “attract the best talents to Swiss universities” and then warn: “Without an association, they will leave Switzerland and find themselves in others European countries. “
Switzerland worse off than Great Britain
Anyone who conducts research in Switzerland will in future neither be able to coordinate European projects nor take advantage of funding from Brussels, which between 2014 and 2020 alone amounted to more than one billion Swiss francs. The reason for the decision is obvious: the fact that Switzerland broke off the negotiations on the framework agreement in May annoyed the EU for a long time. So much so that in terms of European research cooperation, Switzerland will be in a worse position than Great Britain after the nerve-wracking negotiations on Brexit.
Even more: this bad news could soon be followed by the next. For some time now, the parliament in Bern has asked the Federal Council to negotiate with the EU about full membership for Switzerland in “Erasmus”, the world’s largest funding program for study visits abroad. Here, too, the Confederation currently only enjoys third-country status.
As reported by the state government, the Federal Council is likely to adopt a negotiating mandate at the beginning of August. Bern and Brussels had in principle agreed to discuss full association for Switzerland in 2021. Now, however, almost no one expects a quick conclusion: It is hardly to be assumed that the EU will make an example at Horizon, only to wave Erasmus through immediately afterwards.
Direct consequence of breaking off negotiations
“The non-association with Horizon is a direct consequence of the break in negotiations on the framework agreement. If the Federal Council had merely declared that it was not currently able to sign the contract, this would not have happened so categorically, ”says SP National Councilor Eric Nussbaumer (61). Even with Erasmus, Switzerland will hardly be admitted “as long as we do not release the cohesion billion”.
The Federal Council would now like to transfer the agreed amount quickly, but the councils can only decide on the payment in September – and it is not even certain that parliament will bring itself to this within one session. “If the amount is transferred, talks could begin,” said Nussbaumer. The visit of Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis (60, FDP) to Brussels, which is planned for next week, could bring clarity.
“I can well imagine that next week the EU will make it clear to Federal Councilor Cassis that the price for participating in the program for a non-associated third country has now risen further. The EU manages its funds just as carefully as Switzerland, ”says the SP foreign policy expert.