Switzerland joins Horizon Europe and other key EU research and innovation programmes
The European Union and Switzerland have officially signed an agreement enabling Switzerland's participation in Horizon Europe, Digital Europe, and the Euratom Research & Training programme.
This step allows Swiss researchers and organizations to engage on equal terms with their counterparts in EU Member States. They may lead research consortia, obtain direct EU funding, and access all thematic areas and instruments under these initiatives.
The agreement was signed in Bern by Ekaterina Zaharieva, Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation, and Guy Parmelin, Swiss Federal Councillor and Head of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research.
The accord takes effect retroactively from 1 January 2025. Starting in 2026, Switzerland will also become a member of Fusion for Energy, granting its scientists and industries the opportunity to participate in ITER, the world’s largest international fusion energy project.
Further integration measures include a planned association to Erasmus+ by 2027. Additionally, once the forthcoming Agreement on Health takes effect, Switzerland will be eligible to join the EU4Health programme.
This agreement is part of a comprehensive strategy designed to strengthen and expand cooperation between the European Union and Switzerland, cultivated through negotiations held from March to December 2024.
Author’s Summary
The new agreement firmly reconnects Switzerland with major EU research, education, and health initiatives, reinforcing scientific and institutional collaboration across Europe.