Published on 10 February 2025

Principles and objectives

With its contributions, Switzerland is helping to strengthen cohesion within Europe and improve how migration flows are handled. The EU and its member states are Switzerland's most important partners in economic and political terms. The positive economic and social development of the EU member states therefore also benefits Switzerland.

Vocational education and training is a priority area of the second Swiss contribution. — © SDC

Switzerland is in the middle of Europe. Due to this geographical and cultural proximity, but especially because of their political and economic weight, the EU and its 27 member states are Switzerland's most important partners. Switzerland depends on a stable and economically prosperous European environment in order to safeguard its prosperity and security in the long term. Switzerland benefits from positive economic developments in the EU-15 member states. New partnerships and opportunities for cooperation are created, and the exchange of knowledge and experience is also consolidated.

Particularly in today's unstable geopolitical climate, Switzerland's second contribution is sending out a signal of its solidarity as well as its commitment to peace, security and stability in Europe. It is helping to create new prospects for people in its partner countries and strengthen their democratic structures. The second Swiss contribution is also a key part of Switzerland's European policy.

Consolidating relations with the EU and its member states

The Swiss contribution bolsters Switzerland's bilateral relations with the partner countries and the EU. The Swiss contribution is part of Switzerland's Europe policy and strengthens Switzerland's reputation abroad.

Strengthen partnerships

Thanks to the Swiss contribution, new partnerships are emerging between institutions in the partner countries and Switzerland. These partnerships are invaluable to Switzerland's integration in European networks. Cooperation promotes the exchange of knowledge and experience and raises Switzerland's profile in Europe.

Taking on cross-border challenges

Economic rifts and youth unemployment in Europe have worsened since 2008, when the financial and economic crisis set them in motion. The rise in unevenly distributed migration flows from 2015 have posed major challenges to many EU member states. These developments also entail risks for Switzerland. With its focus on vocational education and training and migration, the second Swiss contribution helps to overcome these challenges and to harness the potential of migration.

Drawing on opportunities for the Swiss economy

Switzerland has access to the EU single market via the bilateral agreements with the EU, so it benefits from economic and social development in the partner countries of the Swiss contribution. The rapid growth of their purchasing power makes them attractive markets for Swiss companies.

The projects and programmes in the partner countries of the second Swiss contribution further the following five objectives:

Promoting economic growth and social partnership and reducing unemployment

The focus here is on promoting vocational education and training, research and innovation, as well as access to financing for SMEs. These projects are also in Switzerland's interest, as the Swiss export industry benefits from the development of the Eastern European growth markets and the increasing purchasing power in the partner countries.

• Vocational education and training

  With its long-standing experience in dual vocational education and training, Switzerland is helping to reduce youth unemployment and the shortage of skilled labour.

• Research and innovation

  Supporting young researchers helps to stem brain drain. Moreover, Switzerland benefits from the research partnerships and academic exchange programmes, which strengthen its standing as a research location.

• Supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)

  The aim here is to make SMEs more competitive and sustainable. By providing micro-credits, Switzerland is strengthening the market economies of the partner countries and improving their employment situations.

Dealing with migration, promoting integration, and improving public safety

The focus here is on experience-sharing as a means of overcoming the challenges arising in the context of refugees and migration. Human trafficking and organised crime are international problems, and Switzerland also has an interest in solving them.

• Dealing with migration

  The projects in this area strengthen the migrant admission structures, make asylum procedures more efficient, and facilitate effective voluntary return and reintegration operations. Switzerland also has an interest in helping to combat human trafficking.

• Integration

  The projects in this area facilitate the social and economic integration of refugees and migrant workers, thus also helping to combat secondary irregular migration.

• Public safety

  Cooperation in this area makes the fight against terrorism and organised crime more effective and the handling of disasters more professional. It also helps to develop a people-centred police force.

Protecting the environment and climate

Switzerland supports measures that promote infrastructure projects, public transport, drinking water supply, wastewater treatment, energy-efficient construction, the use of renewable energies, waste disposal and nature conservation. Switzerland too benefits from reduced environmental pollution.

• Public transport

  Developing public transport infrastructure improves the quality of air and life.

• Water and wastewater management

  Drinking water supply is vital for the quality of life. Better wastewater treatment not only helps protect water, but also the health and well-being of people.

• Energy efficiency and renewable energies

  The use of renewable energies and energy-efficient construction not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but also electricity and heating costs.

• Waste disposal

  Certain sites were contaminated before EU accession. Neutralising the contamination there in an environmentally sound manner is key to protecting the environment and people's health.

• Nature conservation and biodiversity

  Exchanging experiences with Swiss organisations helps to protect biodiversity and forests, but also to promote eco-tourism and organic farming.

Strengthening social security and healthcare systems

Switzerland supports measures towards strengthening the public healthcare system and health and social services for the elderly, children and minorities. Equal opportunities and social inclusion ease social tensions, which ultimately also benefits Switzerland. The projects in the healthcare sector also open up opportunities for the Swiss medtech sector.

• Health and social services

  Switzerland supports the further education of healthcare professionals and reforms of the healthcare system that make it more efficient and focused on needs. Swiss expertise in municipal-level outpatient and home care flows into the projects in this area.

• Minorities and socially marginalised people

  Minority communities, such as the Roma, often live in precarious conditions. They should have better access to school and medical facilities.

Promoting civic engagement and transparency

Supporting civic engagement empowers citizens to influence democratic processes. It also improves access to social services. In this area, exchanging experiences with Swiss organisations is particularly valuable.

• Civic engagement and transparency

  Associations, citizens' initiatives, interest groups and non-governmental organisations, together with the media, can help pluralistic structures and citizens' concerns flow into political decision-making processes. This support for individual initiative-taking and networking strengthens democratic processes.

Thematic breakdown of the Swiss contribution

The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) are jointly responsible for implementing the cohesion projects. The vocational education and training projects' implementation is carried out in cooperation with the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI). The State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) is responsible for implementing the migration projects.

Switzerland's administrative expenditure over ten years is estimated at five per cent of the total amount of the Swiss contribution (CHF 1.302 billion). An additional CHF 22 million is available for organisations outside the federal government that contribute their Swiss expertise to the projects. This is intended to strengthen bilateral relations with the partner countries, provide expertise and ensure that the projects and programmes are sustainable and meet quality standards.