Guidance on Horizon 2020 for Swiss researchers issued

The Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) has issued updated guidance for Swiss researchers wishing to participate in Horizon 2020.

It has advised scientists that only institutions in an EU member state or an associated country may take part in calls for project proposals for ERC grants. Therefore, researchers from Swiss institutions may not apply for ERC grants.

With regard to ERC grants (currently Starting Grants and Consolidator Grants), the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF)’s temporary backup schemes provide a solution for application submissions this year so that applications from Switzerland that are ready for submission or in planning are not lost or wasted. If Switzerland fails to gain associate status, these schemes may be extended to Advanced Grants.

Researchers who are Swiss nationals and who will conduct at least half of their research in connection with an ERC grant at an institution in an EU or associated country will still be entitled to participate.

SERI has recommended that project partners from Switzerland (including businesses, especially SMEs) take part in calls for project proposals as part of an international consortium.

With its decree of 25 June 2014 and its instructions to amend the associated ordinance, the Federal Council is preparing the legal basis to be able to fund directly, if Swiss association to Horizon 2020 is not achieved, projects which were not able to be submitted in 2014. This solution also covers individual projects such as ERC Starting Grants.