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The new Swiss-Polish Cooperation Programme has been launched

13.12.2023 — Article Schweizer Beitrag
The Swiss-Polish Cooperation Programme as part of the Swiss Contribution to selected EU member states, was officially launched in Warsaw on 12 December 2023. Over 300 representatives from Polish towns, the research and innovation community, civil society and the private sector attended the event.


Closing Conference of the Croatian-Swiss Research Programme in Zagreb

23.10.2023 — Article Schweizer Beitrag
On 19 October, the closing conference of the Croatian-Swiss Research Programme (CSRP), organised by the Croatian Science Foundation HRZZ, took place in Zagreb. The CSRP initiative aims to promote scientific cooperation between Switzerland and Croatia and is in implementation from 2017 until the end of 2023.


All implementation agreements signed, first projects launched

19.09.2023 — Article Schweizer Beitrag
Switzerland and Slovakia have signed the bilateral agreement on 19 September 2023 on the implementation of the second Swiss contribution to selected EU member states. Switzerland has thus signed the bilateral implementation agreements for the cohesion part with all partner countries of the second Swiss contribution. The implementation phase now follows.


Greater cooperation with Slovakia

19.09.2023 — Press releases Europa
Switzerland and Slovakia have signed a bilateral agreement on 19 September 2023 on the implementation of the second Swiss contribution to selected EU member states. Switzerland will support programmes in Slovakia in the areas of vocational training, sustainable tourism and healthcare amounting to CHF 44.2 million. This means that all 13 bilateral implementation agreements for the second Swiss contribution to strengthen cohesion are under wraps.



Ignazio Cassis signs agreement in Slovenia on implementation of second Swiss contribution

28.08.2023 — Press releases EDA
During a visit to Slovenia, Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis, head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), today signed an agreement on the implementation of Switzerland's second contribution in Ljubljana. The agreement provides for the financing of projects aimed at improving Slovenia's energy efficiency and developing its renewable energy resources. Mr Cassis also attended the Bled Strategic Forum, where he took part in a panel discussion on the future of multilateralism.


Cultural mediators to support the Italian police and migration authorities

21.08.2023 — Local news Schweizer Beitrag
In 2023, Italy has been facing a high number of disembarkations. In order to facilitate communication between migrants, police and migration authorities, Italy works together with cultural mediators. Switzerland finances the deployment of cultural mediators with the Rapid Response Fund of the Second Swiss Contribution.


Procurement information: Advance notification of backstopping tender in the environmental and climate protection sector

30.06.2023 — Article Schweizer Beitrag
Switzerland is allocating CHF 1.302 billion towards projects under its Second Contribution to selected EU member states. The bulk of Switzerland's Second Contribution (CHF 1.102 billion) is earmarked for projects aimed at reducing economic and social disparities in the 13 states that have joined the EU since 2004. Of this amount, around CHF 400 million is reserved for projects in the field of environmental and climate protection for the benefit of Bulgaria, Croatia, Latvia, Poland, Romania, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia and Hungary. 


Elisabeth Baume-Schneider to visit aid projects in Poland and Slovakia for people who have fled the war in Ukraine

30.06.2023 — Press releases Europa
On 5 and 6 July, Federal Councillor Elisabeth Baume-Schneider will be on a working visit to Poland and Slovakia, two countries neighbouring Ukraine that have taken in large numbers of refugees. Ms Baume-Schneider will visit several aid projects for Ukrainian refugees that are co-financed by Switzerland. She will also meet her counterparts in both countries for bilateral exchanges.


Launch of new cooperation programme between Switzerland and the Czech Republic

29.06.2023 — Press releases Europa
State Secretary Helene Budliger Artieda and Czech Minister of Finance Zbynêk Stanjura signed a bilateral agreement in Prague implementing Switzerland's second contribution to selected EU Member States. Switzerland is allocating CHF 76.9 million towards a programme in the Czech Republic. This visit underlines Switzerland’s interest in further enhancing its already very good bilateral relations with the Czech Republic.


Launch of new cooperation programme between Switzerland and Latvia

19.06.2023 — Press releases Europa
Switzerland and Latvia have signed a bilateral agreement implementing the second Swiss contribution to selected EU member states. Under the agreement Switzerland will allocate CHF 40.4 million towards programmes in Latvia in the fields of polluted site remediation, applied research, vocational education and training and healthcare.


Swiss-Lithuanian Cooperation Programme launched

22.05.2023 — Press releases EDA
On 22 May 2023, the Ambassador of Switzerland and the Lithuanian Minister of Finance signed the implementation agreement for the Swiss-Lithuanian Cooperation Programme under the second Swiss contribution to selected EU member states. The contribution to Lithuania amounts to 45.2 million Swiss francs and will support programmes in Lithuania in the fields of health, civic participation and vocational education.

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Mentoring programme: creating a better future for Roma children

The picture shows three girls who are smiling.

23.04.2015 — Article Schweizer Beitrag

The Roma population in Slovakia suffers from high levels of unemployment. Many of them cannot find work, as they have a lower level of education and often cannot speak Slovak. Within the framework of a mentoring programme run by the organisation ETP Slovenkso, non-Roma adults help Roma children with their career and personal development. It is a strategy that shows much promise, geared at improving the school performance of Roma children and thus enabling them to pursue a secondary education. Switzerland's enlargement contribution is supporting ETP Slovenkso.


Safe streets in Poland thanks to Swiss expertise

A police officer checks a driver's licence.

10.04.2015 — Article Schweizer Beitrag

With 86 fatalities per million inhabitants every year, Poland – together with Luxembourg – ranks second among the most dangerous countries in Europe for road safety. On 6 February 2015, the Polish parliament adopted a law to improve road safety, which was signed by the Polish president on 2 April 2015. The road safety project, part of Switzerland's enlargement contribution, provided Swiss expertise to support this process.


Training for emergencies: Partnership to identify and measure hazardous substances

Staff in white protective clothing measuring radioactivity levels.

19.03.2015 — Article Schweizer Beitrag
At the beginning of February 2015, a delegation from the Slovak national civil protection laboratory undertook specialised training at the SPIEZ LABORATORY. The purpose of this cooperation is to exchange experiences and knowledge on detecting and measuring hazardous chemical and radioactive substances. The exchange is part of a larger project to improve the Slovak rescue services which Switzerland is co-funding within the framework of its contribution to EU enlargement.


Wastewater infrastructure: a priority of the enlargement contribution to Slovakia

An excavator digging a trench for sewerage pipes.

04.02.2015 — Article Schweizer Beitrag

Funding the wastewater infrastructure is a priority of Switzerland's enlargement contribution to Slovakia. Switzerland is supporting the construction and expansion of six wastewater treatment plants. In addition, a total of 55 kilometres of sewers are being funded. Switzerland's investment contribution amounts to approximately CHF 27 million. Some 10,000 people in nine municipalities will benefit from these investments.


Young Romanian researching pain in Lausanne

Thanks to a Sciex scholarship Alexandru Deftu from Romania has been researching aspects of pain signals in the central nervous system for one year at Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV).

29.01.2015 — Article Schweizer Beitrag

Thanks to a Sciex scholarship Alexandru Deftu from Romania has been researching aspects of pain signals in the central nervous system for one year at Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV). On 17 November 2014 he presented his complex field of research at the University of Bern to other research fellows and an interested public as part of the "Sciex Science Slammer 2014" competition. In an interview he talks about his work and the difficulty of making a complex subject accessible to the general public.


Conference on social services in Slovakia

A young disabled man in a social services facility in Stará L'ubovňa.

16.01.2015 — Article Schweizer Beitrag

In mid-November 2014 a conference on "social services for people with disabilities" took place in eastern Slovakia. Switzerland, as part of its enlargement contribution, provides funding to Slovakia of more than CHF 3 million to support three large and 13 small projects for children, young people and adults with disabilities. The projects presented were a basis for discussions during the conference.


Federal Council opens consultation on the continuation of the Federal Act on Cooperation with the States of Eastern Europe

17.12.2014 — Press releases EDA
The Federal Council has opened the consultation on the continuation of the Federal Act on Cooperation with the States of Eastern Europe (Eastern Europe Cooperation Act). The current act is still valid until the end of May 2017. A timely prolongation should enable the seamless continuation of cooperation with the countries of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. The consultation will last until 31 March 2015.


End of commitment period for enlargement contribution to Bulgaria and Romania

08.12.2014 — Press releases EDA
The commitment period of the enlargement contribution for Bulgaria and Romania, which joined the EU in 2007, ended on 7 December. In all, 13 thematic funds and 28 projects totalling CHF 257 million were approved. The Swiss commitment aims to eradicate social and economic disparities in the enlarged European Union (EU).


1,000 microcredits – 2,000 ways of getting people out of unemployment

The Swiss ambassador (left) and the chairman of the board of ALTUM cutting the red ribbon to inaugurate the new kitchen on 16 October 2014.

20.11.2014 — Article Schweizer Beitrag

On 16 October 2014 the Swiss ambassador and the chairman of the board of ALTUM (the State Joint Stock Company Latvian Development Financial Institution, previously Hipotēku Banka) paid a celebratory visit to the POGA kindergarten – the recipient of their 1,000th microcredit. The Swiss-Latvian microcredit programme makes it easier for small businesses and self-employed people to get access to loans. The programme has clearly outstripped its initial aim of making 650 credits available for the creation of 900 jobs.


The President of the Swiss Confederation, Didier Burkhalter, meets the Maltese Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dr George W. Vella

04.11.2014 — Press releases EDA
The President of the Swiss Confederation and Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) met the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Malta on Tuesday for an official working visit at the Watteville House in Bern. The meeting was an opportunity to take stock of various international and multilateral issues and of the development of bilateral relations between Switzerland and Malta. A memorandum of understanding was signed.


Czech Republic: Selected improvements to the tram system in Ostrava

14.10.2014 — Article Schweizer Beitrag
On 26 September 2014, a project was inaugurated in Ostrava – the third-largest city in the Czech Republic – in which selected improvements were made to the city's tram network to enhance the service and level of comfort of public transport. The project was financed by the Swiss contribution to the enlarged European Union. This support made it possible to improve the management of the tram lines and passenger safety.


President of the Swiss Confederation Didier Burkhalter receives Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev

13.10.2014 — Press releases EDA
The President of the Swiss Confederation, Didier Bukhalter, received the President of Bulgaria, Rosen Plevneliev, on Monday 13 October 2014 during the latter’s official visit to Switzerland. Talks focused on relations and cooperation between Switzerland and Bulgaria, notably in the field of vocational education and training. The meeting, also attended by Federal Councillor Simonetta Sommaruga, included discussions on Swiss policy on Europe, Switzerland's contribution to EU enlargement and various topical international issues, especially those related to the OSCE, which Switzerland is chairing in 2014.

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