Welcome to the platform for Switzerland’s project-by-project participation in the Horizon package (Horizon Europe, Euratom, ITER, Digital Europe Programme) and its transitional funding scheme. The State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) will directly fund researchers and innovators in Switzerland whose participation in positively evaluated collaborative and mono-beneficiary projects in the Horizon package is not funded by the European Commission (EC). All the necessary information and steps for preparing and submitting a funding application and the corresponding financial reports to SERI are provided here.
The following figure provides an overview of current and planned measures in relation to Switzerland's participation as a non-associated third country in Horizon Europe and related programmes and initiatives. Further information and direct links to the specific measures can be found in the figure Transitional measures:
In the current status (non-associated third country), participants based in Switzerland can still participate in most collaborative projects. Applicants based in Switzerland must submit their project proposals on the Funding & Tenders Portal as participants from a non-associated third country (‘associated partner’) until further notice. The Swiss project partner will not be funded by the EC but by SERI (‘direct funding’). As soon as the signed ‘grant agreement’ for the positively evaluated project by the EC is available, the funding application can be submitted to SERI.
Please be aware that should Switzerland be reclassified by the EC as a ‘country to be associated’ before the deadline of the corresponding calls (applies to calls for proposals 2025 at the earliest), Swiss participants must change their status from ‘associated partner’ to ‘beneficiary’ in the project proposal and apply for funding from the EC. This means that their budget must be included in the total amount of funding requested by the consortium from the EC.
For instruments, in which participants in Switzerland cannot participate due to Switzerland's current status, SERI has mandated external institutions to introduce transitional measures. Further information and direct links to the specific measures can be found in the figure transitional measures (PDF, 179 kB, 10.04.2024).
Background information on Switzerland's current participation and connected opportunities in Horizon Europe and related programmes and initiatives can be found in State of play Horizon Europe.
Submission of funding requests
Funding requests can be submitted to SERI via a web form. Collaborative and mono-beneficiary projects use distinct forms for submission. The most important steps for submission are described on the respective websites.
Legal basis
During the time Switzerland is not associated to Horizon Europe, researchers, innovators and entities based in Switzerland can request funding from the Swiss government for projects that have been positively evaluated by the European Commission. This applies to Horizon Europe and other related programmes and initiatives and notably to:
- Collaborative projects (including all projects within the EIT-KICs)
- Mono-beneficiary projects (namely ‘SERI-funded ERC Starting and Consolidator Grants’ as well as ‘SERI-funded EIC Accelerator Grants’)
The Federal Council approved the revised Ordinance on Measures for Swiss Participation in the European Union Programmes in the field of Research and Innovation (SR 420.126) on 17 August 2022 replacing the Ordinance of 20 January 2021. Since 15 September 2022, the revised Ordinance is in force (as of 15 September 2022).
The revised Ordinance addresses Switzerland's participation as an associated country in EU programmes and regulates the corresponding accompanying measures. Furthermore, it provides the legal basis for the direct funding of Swiss partners in Horizon Europe projects.Finally, the Ordinance establishes rules for other programmes, initiatives and projects co-funded by the EU programmes.
Ordinance on Measures for Swiss Participation in the European Union Programmes for Research and Innovation (SR 420.126, in German)
The Ordinance itself is based on Art. 29 (2) and 56 of the Research and Innovation Promotion Act (RIPA; SR 420.1).
Research and Innovation Promotion Act
The federal transitional measures also follow the rules as laid out in the Federal Subsidies Act (SR 616.1).
Federal Act on Financial Assistance and Subsidies (Subsidies Act)
(in German)
The necessary funds were approved by the Swiss Parliament in December 2020, based on the ‘Dispatch on the funding of Swiss participation in the European Union's research and innovation measures in the years 2021-2027’ submitted by the Federal Council on 20 May 2020.