The Horizon package comprises the Horizon Europe, Euratom and Digital Europe (DEP) research programmes and the ITER research infrastructure. A transitional arrangement allows researchers and innovators in Switzerland to participate as beneficiaries in calls for proposals of Horizon Europe, the Euratom programme and the DEP, from the 2025 programme year onwards.
- Status of Switzerland
- Draft EU Programmes Agreement (EUPA)
- Participation in calls from the 2025 programme year onwards
- → Transitional arrangement
- → Strategic areas
- → Budget planning from the 2025 programme year onwards
- Participation in calls 2021–2024
- Overview of the Horizon package
- Further information | Media | Contact
Status of Switzerland
Switzerland and the EU have materially concluded negotiations on the overall package. This also applies to negotiations on Switzerland’s participation in EU programmes (e.g. Horizon Europe, Euratom programme, Digital Europe Programme and ITER), which were carried out as part of the negotiations on the overall package. Until the agreement on Switzerland's association to EU programmes (EU Programme Agreement, EUPA) is signed, Switzerland is formally considered a non-associated third country in the Horizon package (see transitional arrangement).
The diagram below shows the steps leading up to the final conclusion of the EU Programme Agreement (EUPA):
Draft EU Programmes Agreement (EUPA)
The EU Programmes Agreement (EUPA) forms the legal basis for Switzerland's participation in EU programmes. It currently covers participation in Horizon Europe, the Euratom programme, the ITER research infrastructure and the Digital Europe Programme (referred to collectively as the Horizon package 2021–2027), as well as Erasmus+ and EU4Health. The EUPA also paves the way for potential future participation in other EU programmes. With each new programme generation, Switzerland is free to decide which of the programmes open to third countries it wishes to join.
Draft EU Programmes Agreement:
Participation in calls from the 2025 programme year onwards
Transitional arrangement
- The European Commission has fully activated the transitional arrangement as of 1 January 2025, which enables researchers and innovators in Switzerland to participate in calls of Horizon Europe and the Euratom programme as beneficiaries, from the 2025 programme year onwards. This means that they can submit project proposals in the role of coordinator. Information on Switzerland's participation in calls for proposals in areas considered strategic by the EU (including quantum and space) can be found under Strategic areas.
- Under the transitional arrangement, researchers and innovators in Switzerland now also have the opportunity to participate as beneficiaries in calls for proposals of the Digital Europe Programme, from the 2025 programme year onwards. This means that they can submit their project applications in the role of coordinator. Specific Objectives 3 (Cybersecurity) and 6 (Semiconductors) are exceptions to this; they are only accessible to EU member states and, to a limited extent, to countries in the European Economic Area (EEA).
For questions about the Digital Europe Programme:
digital-europe@sbfi.admin.ch. - More information: Q&A: Questions and answers on Switzerland's participation in the Horizon package 2021–2027 (PDF, 786 kB, 01.05.2025)
Strategic areas
Research and innovation actors in Switzerland have so far been excluded from Horizon Europe and DEP calls for proposals in areas considered strategic by the EU (e.g. quantum and space). The EU's basis for this restricted access are Article 22(5) and Article 12(6) of the respective programme regulations. In order to gain access to these calls, all associated third countries (with the exception of EEA countries) must undergo a validation process. As part of this process, Switzerland has submitted extensive documentation to the European Commission for both Horizon Europe and DEP.
The European Commission has completed its assessment and concludes that in the Horizon Europe 2025 work programmes (e.g. Cluster 4), Switzerland receives full access to calls for proposals in strategic areas (artificial intelligence, quantum, communication and network technologies, and space sensitive research topics). Access to certain calls for proposals in the field of space within Horizon Europe is currently still being clarified. These calls for proposals were not subject to this validation process.
Budget planning from the 2025 programme year onwards
- For all calls for proposals from the 2025 programme year onwards, participants in Switzerland must prepare their project proposals as beneficiaries and thus apply for EU funding.
- The budget of the Swiss partner must be included in the total grant amount that the consortium is requesting from the EU.
- Financial guarantee in the calls 2025 (PDF, 150 kB, 25.03.2024)
Participation in calls 2021–2024
In order to efficiently compensate for Switzerland's third-country status in the Horizon package 2021–2027, the Federal Council has decided on transitional measures for the 2021–2024 calls for proposals (calls that have 2021, 2022, 2023 or 2024 in their call identifier):
- Transitional measures for accessible parts of the programme: SERI provides direct funding to researchers and innovators in Switzerland for their participation in collaborative projects. Project participants receive funding as if Switzerland were an associated country, but from SERI rather than the EU: Financial guarantee for Swiss participants in collaborative projects 2024 (PDF, 136 kB, 14.06.2023). SERI will fund these projects for their entire duration, regardless of Switzerland's status and subject to parliamentary budget decisions.
- Transitional measures for non-accessible parts of the programme: For non-accessible calls for proposals, SERI provides funding through temporary instruments that are implemented either by SERI itself, the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF), Innosuisse or the European Space Agency (ESA). These measures are based on the respective EU calls for proposals as far as possible. For example, SNSF Starting Grants are an SNSF instrument that covers the corresponding calls of the European Research Council (ERC-Grants).
Overview of the Horizon package
Horizon Europe, the Euratom programme, the Digital Europe Programme and the ITER research infrastructure are dealt with as part of a uniform legislative and budgetary process in Switzerland; in this context they are therefore known collectively as the Horizon package.
| Horizon Europe | ||
Pillar I |
Pillar II |
Pillar III |
European Research Council (ERC) |
Clusters |
European Innovation Council (EIC) European Innovation Ecosystems (EIE) European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT)
|
| Widening participation and strengthening the European Research Area | ||
| Widening participation and spreading excellence | ||
| Reforming and enhancing the European Research and Innovation system | ||
| Related programmes and initiatives | ||
| Euratom Research and Training Programme | ||
| ITER | ||
| Digital Europe Programme | ||
Horizon Europe
With a budget of EUR 95.5 billion, Horizon Europe is the EU's largest and most ambitious research and innovation programme to date. It aims to strengthen the EU's competitiveness and promote growth through excellence in research. It is also intended to create jobs and support industrial cooperation in the European Research Area. The central pillars of the programme are:
- Excellent Science, which is advanced by the European Research Council and the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions.
- Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness, which supports projects in areas such as health, climate, energy and mobility.
- Innovative Europe, which strengthens innovation potential through the European Innovation Council and the European Institute of Innovation and Technology.
In addition, there is a focus on widening participation and strengthening the European Research Area, which promotes cooperation and excellence in research. The Open Science Policy, which obliges project participants to make their research publicly accessible, is another important aspect of the programme.
Euratom research and training programme
The Euratom programme complements Horizon Europe and funds nuclear research and innovation; it has a budget of EUR 1.38 billion for the 2021–2025 period. The scope of the programme covers nuclear fusion and fission, including safety issues, waste management and radiation protection. Fusion research supports the ITER reactor and the development of future fusion power plants to utilise nuclear fusion as a clean energy source. The programme also promotes expertise, training and technology transfer.
International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER)
The ITER infrastructure project is an international collaboration launched in 2006 to build the ITER thermonuclear experimental reactor in Cadarache, France. The aim of this infrastructure is to demonstrate the value of nuclear fusion for industrial-scale energy production, and to develop the knowledge and technologies required for the subsequent construction of nuclear fusion power plants to produce electricity that is safe, sustainable and clean because it does not produce high-level and long-lasting radioactive waste. Fusion for Energy (F4E) works at European level to coordinate the provision of the European contribution to the construction of ITER. As a member of F4E, Switzerland will participate in the construction of ITER again starting in 2026, under the same conditions that applied until 2020 (further information).
Digital Europe Programme (DEP)
The DEP aims to improve digital capacities in Europe and complements other EU programmes for research and innovation such as Horizon Europe. With a budget of over EUR 8.1 billion, it provides funding for work in areas such as supercomputing, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, semiconductors, advanced digital skills and the broad use of digital technologies in the economy and society. There is also a network of European Digital Innovation Hubs that support industry, SMEs and public administration in their digital transformation.