Swiss researchers have been barred from applying for individual grants in future calls from the European Research Council (ERC), Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MCSA) and the European Innovation Council (EIC).
“Until further notice”, Switzerland will be treated as a non-associated third country in the Horizon Europe research programme, the Swiss state secretariat for education, research and innovation announced last Wednesday.
According to the European Commission, “All exploratory talks regarding the association of Switzerland to the next generation of EU programmes are currently on hold.”
All of which means that while researchers in Switzerland can still participate in Horizon Europe, their access to funding will be severely limited.
However, anyone who applied to calls for ERC Starting Grants and ERC Consolidator Grants earlier in the year is exempt from the ban and their proposals will still be evaluated by the Commission and funded by the Swiss government from €5.6 billion it has put aside to support the costs of the grants.
For the upcoming ERC call for advanced grants, Swiss proposals are ineligible if they do not have at least one legal entity in a member state or associated country.
The Commission is not willing to start association talks with Switzerland until it unlocks a €1.2 billion payment to the EU cohesion fund.
(Fonte: Science Business)