SNSF charged with conducting transitional measures for Horizon Europe

Due to Switzerland's non-association to Horizon Europe, the Federal Council has asked the SNSF to carry out transitional measures for researchers in Switzerland.

Switzerland will be treated for the time being as a non-associated third country in the EU's Horizon Europe framework programme for research and innovation and associated programmes. To maintain Switzerland's appeal as a research hub, the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research (EAER) has charged the SNSF with setting up and conducting transitional measures to replace elements of the European programme that are currently inaccessible to researchers in Switzerland. These measures will serve as replacement schemes for those who intended to compete in the calls of the European Research Council (ERC) for Advanced Grants and MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships in 2021.

The transitional solutions will be based as far as possible on the European calls, but will have their own deadlines for project submissions. These will also apply to ERC Starting Grants and Consolidator Grants for 2022 in the event that Swiss researchers are not eligible to submit project proposals for these calls. The calls are currently under preparation. Further details will be provided in due course.

Strong position of Swiss research

Measures taken at a national level cannot fully replace the various elements of the EU Framework Programme. To ensure that Swiss research can maintain its strong position, the SNSF continues to support the goal of full association to Horizon Europe.

The planned transitional measures will be submitted to Parliament in the winter session.