Statement on the consultation on the “Horizon Fund Law”

23 January 2023

The Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences welcome and support the draft law on the establishment of the “Horizon Fund”. This fund aims to secure the resources earmarked for the European Research and Innovation Framework Programme Horizon Europe for the benefit of research in Switzerland. This will at least minimise the loss for Switzerland as a centre of knowledge as a result of its continued partial participation in Horizon Europe.

However, Switzerland's association with Horizon Europe as soon as possible and in full must remain the top priority, the Academies emphasise in their statement. This is of the utmost importance for Switzerland as a location for research and innovation. The longer the current situation persists, the more Switzerland's attractiveness for research and innovation players will suffer.

For their part, the Academies remain committed to Switzerland's full participation in Horizon Europe and, in the meantime, are working to strengthen their international contacts in order to mitigate the consequences of non-association.