Federal Council's proposals on immigration: the SNSF's response
The SNSF is appealing to the Federal Council to take account of the needs of science and research when implementing the mass immigration initiative.
The outcome of the referendum on the mass immigration initiative of 9 February 2014 had an immediate and tangible effect on science and research in Switzerland. Specifically, exclusion from the EU's Horizon 2020 research programme and, as a consequence, from the calls for proposals issued by the prestigious European Research Council (ERC), has dealt a hard blow to Switzerland as a centre of research.
Presenting research-related issues
Against this background, and in the interest of retaining first-class conditions for Switzerland as a centre of research, the SNSF feels it is important, for the purposes of implementing the mass immigration initiative, to make the Federal Council aware of the essential issues relating to scientific research. Accordingly, it has issued a response as part of the consultation on the draft amendment to the Foreign Nationals Act. The Federal Council acknowledges the crucial contribution to Switzerland's society and economy that an optimum framework for science and research make. The SNSF is counting on the Federal Council to act on its expressed intention of giving priority to the needs of science and research at all levels when implementing the mass immigration initiative.