Phasing-in of Switzerland for full participation in the 5th Framework Programme
The following text on developments with Switzerland and the Fifth Framework programme is available CORDIS at the web address given beneath. The political background The ratification process of the bilateral agreements between Switzerland and the European Union is currently underway in the EU member states. There is no precise date foreseen. Switzerland will gain associate membership in the 5th Framework Programme only after the ratification is completed. It is expected therefore that the agreement will enter into force sometime in 2001. However as the financial provisions shall enter into force only on the 1.1.2002 (beginning of a budgetary year), Swiss researchers will gain these new rights in two phases: Phase one: Starting with the moment the research agreement enters into force in 2001 until the financial provisions start on 1 January 2002. Phase two: Full association with the Framework Programme: Beginning 1 January 2002 Phase one As soon as the agreement enters into force, Switzerland will be considered as an associated country without funding to the 5th Framework Programme. Swiss participants will benefit from the following rights: The participation rules for an associated country apply. For example: in shared-cost projects Swiss researchers can participate with a minimum of one partner from a Member State or with the Joint Research Centre as one partner. For example: In CRAFT, Swiss SME applicants are counted amongst the required minimum consortium of three partners. Important activities of the 5th Framework Programme are open to Swiss participants, especially in the "Improving the Human Research Potential" programme Marie Curie Fellowships (Fellows and Host institutions), Euro conferences and Large-scale facilities. Swiss partners are no longer obliged to prove that their participation provides added value to the European Union. The scientific co-ordination of a project by Swiss partners is already allowed today and recommended. However, Swiss partners are still excluded from assuming administrative and financial co-ordination during this first phase. As far as funding is concerned, during this first phase, the current project-by-project participation mode will continue to be applied. In all projects starting before 1 January 2002, the Swiss Federal Office for Education and Science (OFES) will fund Swiss partners for the entire duration of the project. Once the funding of a project is granted, the participation mode cannot be changed. Phase two After the financial provisions of the research agreement enter into force on 1 January 2002, Switzerland will be fully associated to the 5th Framework Programme and projects will be funded directly by the European Commission. Swiss partners will be able to act as both scientific and administrative co-ordinators. Phasing in: How best to prepare proposals before the financial provisions enter into force It is recommended that proposers start writing project proposals with the view to acting as full co-ordinators (including also the administrative co-ordination) or to receiving full financial support from the Commission well ahead of the entry into force of the financial provisions (probably 1 January 2002). This strategy is suggested because of the usual time gap between the closing deadline of a call for proposals and the date of the Commission decision to fund the contracts. Swiss participants could submit their funding requests to the European Commission on the proposal submission forms already by the end of the first semester 2001. In that case, a footnote or an attached letter with the following statement should be added: "Should the financial provisions of the research agreement not be in force when the project begins, the Swiss Government will fund the Swiss project partners". However, proposals submitted early for Commission funding should ensure that the total number and the status of their project partners will also be valid as an eligible consortium if Switzerland is not yet be associated when the Commission decision to fund the contract is taken. If Swiss participants wish to assume the administrative co-ordination role, they should submit their proposal knowing that the contract might be concluded before 2002 (it should be the case for closure dates during the second semester of 2001). In such cases, an alternative administrative co-ordinator should be nominated from the beginning so that the entire project is not endangered. More information Additional information can be found on the OFES website. Interested persons can also obtain additional information from the national contact points and the other members of the Swiss Information Network on International Research co-operation projects.