Partial association of Switzerland to the Horizon 2020 programme
© 2014 EPFL
This partial association allows researchers in Switzerland to participate as associated and equally entitled partners in the calls under the first pillar of H2020, comprising ERC grants, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, Future and Emerging Technologies (FET), and research infrastructures, and under the programmes Euratom, ITER and Spreading excellence and widening participation, from 15 September 2014.
Following is stated in the factsheet of the SERI:
"As of 15 September 2014 researchers in Switzerland will again be able to participate in all calls under the first pillar of Horizon 2020 (Excellent Science) and „Spreading Excellence and Widening Participation“ under associated status.This means that project applications submitted in Brussels will be evaluated and, if successful, also funded directly from Brussels. The first pillar comprises all calls from the European Research Council (ERC), the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions to promote mobility, Future and Emerging Technologies (FET) and research infrastructures.The programme section on Spreading Excellence and Widening Participation includes the Teaming and Twinning instruments."
"To compensate for this year's ERC Starting and Consolidator Grants, the calls for which went out in the spring, the Swiss National Science Foundation put in place a Temporary Backup Scheme as an alternative for applicants from Switzerland for 2014. Full information can be found on the SNSF website."
"For all calls for projects under the second and third pillars of Horizon 2020 (Industrial Leadership and Societal Challenges), Swiss applicants are considered as particpants from a third country. This means that Swiss researchers in these programme areas can submit project applications along with European partners and can also coordinate them. The Swiss part of the project will also undergo regular evaluation from Brussels. However, participants from third countries do not receive direct funding from the EU."
"The Federal Council decided on 25 June 2014 that researchers and institutions in Switzerland that are involved in Horizon 2020 collaborative projects approved by the European Commission would be funded directly by the Confederation. Switzerland participated in a similar project-specific manner in the framework programme from 1992-2004. On 12 September 2014 the Federal Council approved the revised Ordinance on Measures for Swiss Participation in the European Union Framework Programmes in the field of Research and Innovation. This will come into force on 1 October 2014, providing the federal government with the legal basis for the direct funding of Swiss project partners in Horizon 2020 projects ("project-specific participation"). Swiss project partners are recommended to keep the overall budget of their collaborative project within the financial limits approved by the EU (including the Swiss contribution, even if this is not funded by the EU)."