Participation in EU research – the Federal Council has requested 6 billion Swiss francs for Horizon Europe, Switzerland wants to continue to participate in the research programmes of the EU. But a new proposal from the EU Commission might ruin the local researchers, the participation. 32 Kommentare32Die Switzerland also wants to have a say in the future in cross-country research projects: A woman at work in a laboratory. (Icon image)photo: Christian Beutler, Keystone

The Federal Council wants to secure the access to the next Generation of EU research programmes. For “Horizon Europe” he has requested, therefore, to the Parliament, funds in the amount of 6,154 billion Swiss francs.

The funds covered the estimated obligation amounts to a full participation of Switzerland as an associated country to the year 2027 in the amount of 5,423 billion Swiss francs, informed the Department of economic Affairs, education and research (eaer) on Wednesday.

the EU framework programme for research and Innovation, called Horizon Europe and the Euro-atom module program, the new “Digital Europe program”and the participation in the international infrastructure for fusion research (Iter). In addition, a Reserve of 614 million Swiss francs was provided.

the national accompanying measures in the amount of 117 million Swiss francs are included in the application. Thus, the broad participation of researchers from Switzerland should be promoted, but also the preparation of project proposals and the representation of Swiss interests in the EU bodies.

in addition to Switzerland’s participation in partnership initiatives or projects of the EU should be facilitated, such as, for example, the company EuroHPC in the field of high performance computer. For such projects, no country could muster the necessary capacity and resources, it said.

degradation threatens

Since 2004, Switzerland has been participating fully in EU research programmes – and this highly successful. At the recent program “Horizon 2020” paid you to 1,423 billion Swiss francs, and received “only” approximately 1,378 francs. The reason is the adoption of the SVP Immigration Initiative in the year of 2014. After the Yes of the Voters, the EU stopped all talks with Switzerland. Since 1. January 2017 onwards, Switzerland is associated with it again.

But now threatens to Switzerland to re-degradation: this is Because, according to a new proposal from the EU Commission, third countries that wish to participate in the EU research programmes “Horizon Europe” 2021-2027 will be divided into four categories. In this context, Switzerland would no longer be in the first, but in the fourth category, which could result in restrictions on the participation itself.

With the new categorization, one is in Bern, therefore I can not agree. The Association to the EU research framework programmes, as well as the free movement of persons were part of the Bilateral agreements I, and thus the “basis for the full participation of Switzerland in all of the following the research framework programmes” – to “Horizon Europe”.

a full Association to the Horizon is not, or is temporarily not possible, it Should be a package that could be used in the commitment loans as an alternative for the financing of Swiss projects by the Federal government, wrote the WBF. So Swiss researchers, could possible analog conditions, such as in the case of an Association are provided.

EU: No “Punishment” because of the framework agreement

The EU Commission, for its part, takes the position that Switzerland could legally enter into the same Association seen in spite of degradation of the agreement for the future research programme “Horizon Europe” as in the past.

it also rejected speculation that it is at the demotion to a “Punishment” because of the slow Progress in the framework agreement. If at the end of the of the Brussels authority’s proposed categorization is kept, is still uncertain.

(SDA)

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