Open Letter regarding the participation & future status of Switzerland within Horizon Europe
07 June 2021
15 European STI Councils and Advisory Bodies and other Science Organisations, including UNICA, published an open letter targeting European decision makers outlining the importance of continuing the long established and mutually beneficial cooperation between the EU and Switzerland in the domain of research and innovation.
The joint letter is an appeal to let Switzerland take part in Horizon Europe, EU’s key funding programme for research and innovation with a budget of €95.5 billion, following the decision of the Swiss Government to end years of negotiations with the EU for an Institutional Framework Agreement to regulate long-term ties. Although these negotiations were not related to collaboration in science and research, the signatories are concerned that the EU might respond to the situation by excluding Switzerland from participating in Erasmus+ and Horizon Europe programmes.
The 15 signatories:
- Austrian Science Council;
- Estonian Academy of Sciences;
- Flemish Advisory Council for Innovation & Entrepeneurship;
- Latvian Council of Science;
- National Research, Development and Innovation Office of Hungary;
- Research Council of Lithuania;
- The Danish Council for Research and Innovation Policy;
- Academia Europea (The Academy of Europe);
- Aurora Universities Network;
- European Consortium of Innovative Universities (ECIU);
- Coimbra Group;
- League of European Research Universities (LERU);
- The Guild;
- Universities from the Capitals of Europe (UNICA);
- Universities of Applied Sciences for Europe (UAS4Europe)
Read the article on the publication of the Open Letter.
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