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EU Programmes: Horizon Europe and Erasmus+

EU Programmes: Horizon Europe and Erasmus+

Chapter 2.8 of the dispatch (pp. 562-619) covers Switzerland's association to the EU programmes Horizon Europe, Erasmus+, Digital Europe and ITER. Participation in these programmes is of strategic importance for Switzerland as a centre of education, research and innovation (ERI).

Summary

The European Union Programmes Agreement (EUPA) is a transversal agreement governing Swiss participation in the EU's key funding programmes. It covers the 2021-2027 programme generation and provides for retroactive application from 1 January 2025. Switzerland commits to annual mandatory contributions and receives in return full access to the funding pools and networks.

Full association offers five central advantages over the current Swiss solution (transitional measures): competitiveness, reputational gain, brain-gain, leverage effect and international networking.

Programme overview

Programme Budget (EU) Description
Horizon Europe EUR 95.5 bn Framework programme for research and innovation, the world's largest civilian research programme
Erasmus+ EUR 26.3 bn Educational mobility, partnerships, policy support
Digital Europe EUR 8.1 bn Digital skills, supercomputing, AI, cybersecurity
ITER - International nuclear fusion project

Strategic importance for the ERI hub

Switzerland is among the most innovative countries in the world. This level can only be maintained if Swiss researchers, students and companies can participate in EU programmes on an equal footing.

Five effects of full association:

  1. Competition: access to competitive calls with the best European teams
  2. Reputation: visibility of Swiss research excellence in international consortia
  3. Brain-Gain: attractiveness for top researchers through ERC Grants and Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions
  4. Leverage: historically, every franc invested has generated a higher return
  5. Networking: integration into European research infrastructures and innovation ecosystems

Horizon Europe

Horizon Europe (2021-2027), with EUR 95.5 billion, is the world's largest civilian research funding programme. It is structured in three pillars:

  • Pillar 1 - Excellent Science: ERC (European Research Council), Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions, research infrastructures
  • Pillar 2 - Global Challenges: health, climate, energy, digital, security
  • Pillar 3 - Innovative Europe: EIC (European Innovation Council), European innovation ecosystems

During the non-association phase (since 2021), Swiss researchers could only participate to a limited extent. The Confederation's transitional measures partially bridged the gap, but international networking and access to ERC Grants were severely restricted.

Erasmus+

Erasmus+ promotes educational mobility at all levels - from vocational training through higher education to adult education. The programme comprises:

  • Learning mobility (students, learners, teachers)
  • Partnerships (institutional cooperation)
  • Policy support (Bologna Process, European Qualifications Framework)

Movetia will serve as the national agency for implementing the Erasmus+ programme in Switzerland. Switzerland has been excluded from the programme since 2014 and operated a national alternative with the Swiss-European Mobility Programme (SEMP).

Digital Europe and ITER

Digital Europe (EUR 8.1 bn) promotes Europe's digital transformation in five areas: supercomputing, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, digital skills and interoperability.

ITER is the international nuclear fusion project in Cadarache (France), in which Switzerland participates via Euratom.

Financial aspects

Item Amount
Annual mandatory contributions (all programmes) approx. CHF 1.95 bn/year
Of which Horizon Europe approx. CHF 1.6 bn/year
Of which Erasmus+ approx. CHF 250 m/year
Of which Digital Europe approx. CHF 60 m/year
Historical return rate Horizon >100% (net recipient)

Contributions are calculated according to the GDP key. Historically, Switzerland has received more Horizon funds than it has paid in - it was a net recipient.

Retroactive application

A distinctive feature of the EUPA is its retroactive application from 1 January 2025. This means:

  • Swiss researchers can participate retroactively in calls
  • Projects already submitted are taken into account
  • The Confederation's transitional funding will be progressively replaced

Key points

Aspect Detail
Agreement type Transversal agreement (EUPA)
Programme period 2021-2027 (7 years)
Retroactive from 1 January 2025
Total EU programme budget approx. EUR 130 bn
Swiss contribution approx. CHF 1.95 bn/year
National agency Erasmus+ Movetia
Historical net effect Switzerland was net recipient

References

  • Dispatch of the Federal Council on the Switzerland-EU package, chapter 2.8 (pp. 562-619), FedGaz 2025
  • EUPA agreement text (draft), annex to the dispatch
  • SERI: Horizon Europe fact sheet, 2025
  • Movetia: Erasmus+ Switzerland, implementation concept