Cooperation Agreement between the EU and Switzerland
In December 1998 the European Union and Switzerland came to a political agreement covering seven areas of future cooperation, including research and technological development. The seven agreements where negotiated as a parcel, where any one agreement can only come into force when all the others are also accepted. Once the entire package of agreements has been accepted by the EU Member States, Switzerland will be eligible to become fully associated with the Fifth Framework programme for research and technological development. This includes the Information Society Technologies (IST) programme, which makes reference to libraries, archives and museums. When the agreements are ratified, Switzerland will pay a lump sum to the EU and Swiss researchers taking part in the Fifth Framework programme will receive funding in the same way as EU researchers.
Until then, cooperation with Switzerland in research and development will continue as before, so that under the Fifth Framework programme Switzerland will participate on a project by project basis. This means that Swiss researchers can take part in research projects, but receive their funding from Swizerland rather than the European Commission.
Created: 5 May 1999
Updated: 5 May 1999