Switzerland secures full participation in Horizon Europe, Digital Europe and Euratom programmes

Switzerland has officially rejoined the European Union’s flagship research and innovation frameworks, following the signing of a new agreement on November 10, 2025, in Bern. The comprehensive pact restores Switzerland’s full association with Horizon Europe, the Digital Europe Programme, and the Euratom Research and Training Programme, and applies retroactively from January 1, 2025. It marks a major turning point in EU–Swiss scientific cooperation after years of stalled negotiations and limited access.

The agreement was signed by Guy Parmelin, Swiss Federal Councillor and Head of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research, and Ekaterina Zaharieva, European Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation. As a result, Swiss researchers, universities, startups and industry partners will be granted equal footing with their EU counterparts. They will once again be eligible to lead consortia, compete for direct EU grants, and participate across all thematic pillars of the respective programmes.

The newly signed framework also outlines a roadmap for Switzerland to join the EU’s Fusion for Energy programme from 2026. This would allow Swiss researchers and companies to contribute to ITER, the world’s most ambitious fusion energy project. Furthermore, Switzerland is scheduled to join the Erasmus+ education mobility programme starting in 2027. The agreement additionally prepares the ground for Swiss participation in the EU4Health programme, once the corresponding EU–Swiss Agreement on Health is ratified.

This return to full participation positions Switzerland squarely back in the European Research Area and ends a period of restricted access to some of the EU’s most prestigious research and innovation tools. It also opens the door for closer collaboration across multiple emerging fields, from climate resilience and energy transition to quantum computing and AI-driven manufacturing.

Why has Switzerland’s Horizon Europe return been such a pivotal development for European R&I?

Switzerland’s reintegration into Horizon Europe and other EU research instruments comes after a prolonged period of limited access that had raised concerns among academic and industry circles. Historically, Switzerland has maintained strong performance in EU funding frameworks, with a reputation for research excellence and high success rates in grant competitions.

However, following political tensions around bilateral agreements in recent years, Switzerland had been treated as a third country for Horizon Europe participation since 2021. Swiss institutions were allowed to participate in certain projects only as associated partners, without access to key grant instruments or leadership roles. This curtailed the country’s ability to influence the direction of collaborative research in Europe and limited access to cutting-edge consortia. The new agreement fully restores those rights.

Institutional stakeholders across Europe and Switzerland had long urged the European Commission and the Swiss government to resolve the impasse. With this deal, Switzerland has reestablished itself as a strategic research partner. The new arrangement is expected to enhance cross-border pooling of talent, infrastructure and industrial capabilities, which is particularly vital as the EU steps up investment in next-generation technologies, green energy systems and pandemic preparedness.

According to the official announcement, the new agreement “opens new capacity for pooling talent, research infrastructures and industrial capabilities across borders.” The timing is significant. With Horizon Europe’s current budgetary cycle running through 2027, the Swiss return provides a timely boost to ongoing and upcoming projects in sectors critical to Europe’s global competitiveness.

What are the key components of Switzerland’s association with EU programmes?

The signed pact formally recognises Switzerland as an associated country to Horizon Europe, the Euratom Research and Training Programme, and the Digital Europe Programme. Association means that Swiss institutions and enterprises can not only join projects but can lead them and apply for EU funding under the same terms as entities in EU Member States.

This participation is effective retroactively from January 1, 2025. That provision ensures Swiss researchers and companies will be eligible for ongoing calls for proposals and upcoming projects in 2025, removing bureaucratic uncertainty and allowing institutions to proceed as if full membership had never lapsed.

Swiss participation in the Fusion for Energy programme will begin in 2026. This allows Switzerland to contribute to and benefit from the ITER project, the world’s largest experimental fusion facility, which is designed to demonstrate the feasibility of nuclear fusion as a large-scale and carbon-free source of energy.

Further, the agreement includes a roadmap for Switzerland’s inclusion in Erasmus+ by 2027, which will reintegrate Swiss students, researchers and educators into one of the world’s largest academic mobility networks. Once the pending Agreement on Health is implemented, Switzerland will also be eligible to participate in EU4Health, broadening its involvement in Europe’s joint health resilience infrastructure.

The current agreement is part of a broader political and economic package negotiated between the European Commission and Switzerland between March and December 2024. The two parties will proceed with ratification of the entire package according to their respective domestic procedures. While this ratification is pending, the terms of the research association are already being applied on a provisional basis.

What is the wider impact on Swiss researchers and industrial R&D ecosystems?

The announcement has been widely welcomed by Switzerland’s research, innovation and industrial ecosystems. Institutions such as ETH Zurich and EPFL, which were previously cut off from certain EU grant opportunities, have voiced strong support for the restored partnership.

For Swiss companies operating in sectors such as precision engineering, biotech, cleantech, digital infrastructure, and life sciences, this re-entry opens the door to competitive European innovation projects. Industry-led consortia that rely on collaboration across multiple EU countries often avoided involving Swiss firms due to prior uncertainties around funding eligibility. That friction is now removed.

Swiss universities, startups and SMEs can now position themselves at the forefront of strategic initiatives within Horizon Europe. This includes priority themes such as the green transition, AI development, space technologies, digital health, and smart manufacturing. Swiss scientists will also be able to rejoin top-level platforms such as the European Research Council and Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, which fund high-impact individual research.

By regaining access to Digital Europe, Switzerland can now participate in projects developing artificial intelligence ecosystems, high-performance computing capabilities, cybersecurity frameworks, and digital innovation hubs. Meanwhile, participation in the Euratom Research and Training Programme will enhance its role in advanced nuclear safety and waste management research.

How does this agreement shape Europe’s strategic research positioning globally?

Beyond Switzerland’s national interests, this deal carries strategic value for the European Union’s broader ambitions in science and technology. Europe faces fierce global competition in critical sectors such as AI, semiconductors, quantum computing, biotechnology, and green energy systems. Integrating Switzerland’s well-respected research capacity strengthens Europe’s ability to respond competitively.

Switzerland’s past participation in EU programmes had significantly boosted European research output and collaboration metrics. Now, with restored access, Swiss institutions are expected to return to their earlier role as core partners in high-value collaborative frameworks. This could improve project outcomes across numerous sectors, increase knowledge transfer, and drive innovation-led economic growth.

From the EU’s perspective, the move also reduces fragmentation in the European Research Area, which is designed to ensure seamless research mobility, open science practices, and coordinated innovation policies across the continent. With Switzerland back in the fold, the region’s research landscape becomes more cohesive.

Importantly, the agreement comes at a time when the EU is scaling up its response to climate change, industrial decarbonisation, digital transformation and health resilience. Bringing back a high-performing partner like Switzerland could accelerate timelines and amplify impact.

What timelines and ratification steps remain for full Swiss participation in EU programmes?

Although the agreement applies provisionally from January 1, 2025, its full legal effect depends on ratification by both parties. Switzerland and the European Union are expected to complete this process within their respective institutional frameworks in the coming months.

In the meantime, Swiss researchers, companies and academic institutions are already advised to prepare for calls under Horizon Europe’s 2025 work programme, which is aligned with the current multiannual financial framework. This includes both collaborative R&D actions and individual grants.

Swiss partners are also preparing for future calls under Digital Europe and Euratom R&T, with a focus on infrastructure development, industrial scale-up, and future-proof technology ecosystems.

In 2026, Switzerland is set to become a formal member of the Fusion for Energy initiative, enabling its scientists and industry to participate in the ITER project and other advanced fusion energy research streams. This further expands Swiss involvement in future energy solutions at a time when low-carbon innovation is at the heart of the EU’s policy agenda.

By 2027, Switzerland is scheduled to join Erasmus+, restoring full academic exchange and mobility between Swiss and EU institutions. Once the health-related legal instruments are in place, Swiss actors will also become eligible participants in the EU4Health programme, bolstering cross-border efforts in healthcare system strengthening and digital health preparedness.

What are the key takeaways from Switzerland’s new Horizon Europe and EU research agreement?

• Switzerland and the European Union signed a major cooperation agreement on November 10, 2025, granting Switzerland full participation in Horizon Europe, the Digital Europe Programme, and the Euratom Research and Training Programme.

• The agreement takes effect retroactively from January 1, 2025, placing Swiss researchers and organisations on the same footing as those in EU Member States for funding access and project leadership.

• Swiss institutions will also join Fusion for Energy in 2026, allowing participation in the ITER fusion energy project, with Erasmus+ inclusion planned for 2027 and EU4Health participation contingent on a separate health agreement.

• The deal follows years of limited Swiss access to EU R&D programmes due to unresolved political negotiations, restoring full association status after prolonged exclusion since 2021.

• Swiss universities, startups, and industry will now be able to apply for and lead competitive projects under Horizon Europe, Digital Europe, and Euratom initiatives.

• The agreement is part of a broader package of EU–Swiss instruments negotiated in 2024, with ratification by both sides expected in the coming months, though provisional application is already in effect.

• The development is widely seen as a boost to European scientific competitiveness and collaboration, particularly in climate innovation, AI, health, advanced manufacturing, and digital infrastructure.

• Switzerland’s return strengthens the European Research Area by eliminating fragmentation and reinstating a high-performing partner known for its research excellence and grant success rates.