Swiss association to EU programmes: calls opened to Switzerland as "a sign of goodwill" (I. Ivanova)

"In the context of ongoing negotiations on a broad package of measures, which include Switzerland’s association to EU programmes such as Horizon Europe, the Commission decided to open calls for Swiss entities to apply as beneficiaries", declares Iliana Ivanova, European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, on 04/07/2024.

Institutions and researchers from Switzerland will be eligible for the following calls:
• ERC 2025 Starting Grant;
• ERC 2025 Synergy Grant;
• ERC 2025 Consolidator Grant.

"This decision goes beyond what the European Commission committed to in the Common Understanding and is a sign of goodwill in the negotiation process", adds Iliana Ivanova.

These transitional arrangements will allow Swiss legal entities to be treated as "entities established in Associated Countries" for the three grants' calls for proposals in the forthcoming ERC work programme 2025.

"However, grant agreements for all of the above calls may only be signed with successful applicants if the association agreement with Switzerland applies at that time", says the ERC.