On behalf of the ERC Scientific Council, I welcome the agreement between the European Union and Switzerland, which includes the terms for Switzerland's association to Horizon Europe.

This agreement marks a turning point. Once it becomes applicable, it will ensure that researchers based at Swiss host institutions can once again receive EU funding for ERC grants starting with the ERC 2025 work programme. This is a long-awaited moment for renewed collaboration in fundamental frontier research. Researchers based in Switzerland are an integral part of the European research community and they have been missed at the ERC. Their full participation will reinforce research in Europe.

The applications for the 2024 Advanced Grant call that are currently being evaluated will continue to fall under the transitional arrangements in place for researchers based in Switzerland, but no grant agreements will be signed based on the association agreement as its scope will not cover award procedures implementing the 2024 budget. However, applicants may wish to contact the Swiss authorities for information on national funding which may be available.
 

Maria Leptin