Swiss eyeing EU research money despite referendum

EUObserver reported on the 13 June 2014 that Switzerland was pushing to be 'de facto' accepted in multi-billion EU programmes on science, research and education, while the European Commission said it would be illegal after the anti-migration referendum which put EU-Swiss ties on ice.

Representatives of the Swiss government officially acknowledged on the 12 June 2014 that a referendum held in February 2014 and seeking to cap migration from EU countries is against an EU-Swiss agreement on freedom of movement. They also told the EU Commission they wanted to renegotiate the agreement once the referendum is translated into law.

The agreement is linked to other co-operation areas - such as science and research (Horizon 2020) and the Erasmus exchange programme for students and academics.

The EU already suspended Switzerland's participation in the two schemes, but Bern wanted to first assess the impact of the February referendum which obliges the Swiss government to impose quotas on EU workers within three years.

ESO: Background information: Negotiating mandate for an EU-Switzerland institutional framework agreement http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-negotiating-mandate-for-an-eu-switzerlandinstitutional-framework-agreement/

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