Swissuniversities calls for the continuation of talks on the institutional framework agreement with the EU

The institutional framework agreement between Switzerland and the EU is of central importance for Switzerland as a centre of research, education and innovation. The EU has clearly signalled that it considers progress towards the conclusion of a Framework Agreement to be a prerequisite for Switzerland's participation in the research and education programmes. The swissuniversities Board calls on the Federal Council to avoid by all means the exclusion of Swiss researchers and students from these research and education programmes and to put relations with the EU on a permanent footing. A No to the institutional framework agreement would be followed by another period of uncertainty in Switzerland's relations with the EU. A failure of the institutional agreement with the EU would jeopardise Switzerland's stable relations with the EU, including in the area of research and education. At present, no realistic alternatives to the present draft of the institutional agreement with the EU are apparent. A lack of a legal foundation would also call into question the existing bilateral agreements between Switzerland and the EU in the medium to longer term.