On 20 December 2024, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Swiss Confederation President Viola Amherd announced the conclusion of negotiations on a comprehensive package of agreements aimed at deepening EU-Switzerland relations. Among these agreements is a new arrangement enabling Switzerland’s participation in the Horizon Europe Programme.
The agreement includes transitional provisions to allow Swiss entities to participate in Horizon Europe calls starting from 1 January 2025. European Commission President von der Leyen emphasized that this agreement strengthens and modernizes the EU-Switzerland partnership, allowing both parties to fully harness the potential of their collaboration.
The agreement was negotiated based on the principles agreed upon by the European Commission and the Swiss Federal Council in October 2023 and finalized after more than 200 meetings. In addition to Switzerland’s participation in the Horizon Europe Programme, all the details of the agreements reached under this package can be accessed via the link.