Results country programmes in EU-12 countries

Promoting renewable energy, creating employment and strengthening civil society: the final review of Switzerland's enlargement contribution summarises the results of the Swiss-backed projects.

Swiss Enlargement Contribution: Annual Report 2017

The ten countries that joined the EU in 2004 have completed their projects under the enlargement contribu-tion. SECO and the SDC have taken stock of the last decade and published the results in their 2017 annual report. The projects have made a significant contribution to reducing economic and social disparities in Europe. Switzerland was also able to use its expertise to make a meaningful contribution to a number of projects.

The Swiss Enlargement Contribution

The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC and the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs present an interim balance sheet on the first five years since the approval of the Enlargement Contribution to the new 10 EU-Member States. The projects are to be implemented within another five year period, i.e., by 2017.

Partnership funds in the new EU member states

Connecting structurally weak regions to the sewer network

Boosting research in ten EU member states

NGO fund in twelve EU member states

Projects promoting social inclusion of the Roma people and other disadvantaged groups in four EU member states

Swiss Enlargement Contribution: Annual Report 2017

Swiss Enlargement Contribution: Annual Report 2017

One billion well invested

05.06.2018 – Article
The ten countries that joined the EU in 2004 have completed their projects under the enlargement contribution. SECO and the SDC have taken stock of the last decade and published the results in their 2017 annual report. The projects have made a significant contribution to reducing economic and social disparities in Europe. Switzerland was also able to use its expertise to make a meaningful contribution to a number of projects.

Consultation on a second Swiss contribution

28.03.2018 –
At its meeting on 28 March 2018, the Federal Council decided to initiate the consultation procedure on a second Swiss contribution to selected EU member states. With this contribution, Switzerland aims to continue to contribute to the reduction of economic and social disparities in the EU member states. Last year, the Federal Council set two priorities for this contribution: vocational education and training and migration.

10 years of contribution to the enlarged EU: efforts pay off

19.06.2017 – Press releases

The 10-year implementation period for Switzerland’s enlargement contribution to the 10 central and eastern European countries that joined the EU in 2004 came to an end on 14 June 2017. Under the contribution, Parliament approved a total of CHF 1 billion to implement 210 projects which have helped reduce economic and social disparities among broad sections of the population living in the EU.

Dual vocational education and training in Slovakia

25.01.2017 – Article
Switzerland is supporting a project to help Slovakia improve dual vocational education and training. The project aims to develop a practice-based market-oriented vocational education and training system. The vocational schools gear their courses to businesses’ requirements and pupils receive training in a company in addition to theoretical knowledge. This equips them with better qualifications and improves their job prospects.

Sciex research programme comes to an end

28.09.2015 – Article

The closing ceremony of the Sciex scholarship programme was held on 25 September 2015. Thanks to this programme, more than 500 doctoral and post-doctoral students could visit Switzerland for a limited period to conduct and expand their research. 

Mentoring programme: creating a better future for Roma children

23.04.2015 – Article

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.

Training for emergencies: Partnership to identify and measure hazardous substances

19.03.2015 – Article
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

04.02.2015 – Article

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.

Conference on social services in Slovakia

16.01.2015 – Article

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
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.

Switzerland promotes tourism in Slovakia

03.07.2014 – Article

The high point of a regional development project in Slovakia was the official opening of a tourist information centre on 28 June 2014. The centre is located in the Slovak Paradise (Slovenský raj) National Park, which attracts some 700,000 visitors every year.  The aim of the project is to promote tourism in this high potential region and to create jobs and opportunities for the local people.

Biosphere reserve as an advantage

07.02.2014 – Press releases

The Swiss – Slovak partnership project ‘Nature to people − people to nature’ was launched with a seminar on 6 February 2014.

The Poľana Mountains Protected Landscape Area is an UNESCO biosphere reserve since 1990. The middle Slovakian NGO "o.z. Pronatur" is implementing a project focused on fully utilising the advantages of the region's biosphere-reserve status and of concepts behind the biosphere idea.

The Swiss contribution in brief

Information on Switzerland’s contribution to the enlarged EU: a brief presentation including project examples.