Swiss researchers eligible to participate fully in FP7
Switzerland is the latest 'third country' to become eligible to participate fully in the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7), following the signature of a scientific agreement with the European Union. The agreement was signed by Swiss Interior Minister Pascal Couchepin, EU Commissioner for Science and Research Janez Potocnik, and Annette Schavan, the German Research Minister and Chair of the EU's Competitiveness Council. It will enable Swiss researchers to participate on an equal footing with their EU counterparts in all of the FP7 calls for proposals, including those opened since the beginning of the year. The Swiss Federal Government has committed 2.4 billion Swiss Francs (€1.4 billion) to FP7 (3% of the overall budget), and it is expected that Swiss researchers' participation will provide a return on this investment. Under FP6, Switzerland performed well. Proposals involving Swiss researchers had a 24% success rate - significantly higher than the EU average of 20%. It is estimated that the level of funding obtained by Swiss researchers in FP6 was equal to the amount that the Government paid into the framework programme.
Countries
Switzerland