Brussels 18.03.2024 Today the President Ursula von der Leyen and President of the Swiss Confederation Viola Amherd launched the negotiations on a broad package of measures to deepen and expand the EU-Switzerland relationship.

This follows the adoption of the Swiss and EU negotiating mandates on 8 and 12 March 2024, respectively. The two mandates authorise the Commission and Switzerland to negotiate the package outlined in the Common Understanding, endorsed by the Swiss Federal Council and the European Commission in November 2023.

The Common Understanding confirms both sides’ ambition to conclude the negotiation this year. The negotiating teams will meet tomorrow.

Mutual benefits of European and Swiss citizens and businesses

The negotiations aim at ensuring a level playing field for competition between EU and Swiss companies operating within the EU internal market and guarantee the protection of the rights of EU citizens working in Switzerland, including non-discrimination between citizens of different Member States.

The the Swiss Confederation Viola Amherd tweeted on her page in social media:

“The EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and I opened the negotiations between EU and Switzerland today. Among other things, Swiss companies are concerned about access to the European market and the participation of researchers in European projects. #Bilaterale”.

Key elements of the package include:

Institutional provisions to be included in existing and future agreements with Switzerland related to the EU internal market, providing for dynamic alignment with EU law, its uniform interpretation and application, and dispute settlement;
State aid provisions in several existing and in future agreements with Switzerland related to the internal market;
An agreement allowing for Switzerland’s participation in EU programmes, including Horizon Europe.

An agreement on Switzerland’s regular and permanent financial contribution to social and economic cohesion in the EU as a counterpart to its participation in the internal market;
A relaunch of negotiations towards agreements on electricity, food safety and health and on the participation of Switzerland in the European Union Agencies for the Space Programme and for Railways.
Moreover, following the launch of the negotiations, the Commission opens the possibility to Swiss entities to apply for the European Research Council calls opening in 2024. Swiss applicants will be treated as if Switzerland is an associated country from admissibility and eligibility to evaluation, up until the preparation of grant agreements.

If Swiss researchers are once again allowed back into Horizon Europe proper, it will end a frustrating and damaging period for Swiss research that university rectors repeatedly warned was damaging the country’s research prowess, the Science & Business media writes.

During this period, Swiss researchers were able to apply to the European Research Council ERC, but had to move to EU or associated countries to take up the grants. Swiss researchers were able to form part of Horizon Europe consortia, but were not able to coordinate them, and had to bring their own national funding.

Switzerland is one of the final remaining countries on the Commission’s association to-do list.

The UK, which had also been locked out due to wider political bickering, agreed association in September last year.