Visit Swiss Cooperation Office websites.
A number of short films provide an insight into the SDC’s mission
Cooperation with Eastern
Europe
Portrait of an SDC employee in Belgrade All short films
www.contribution-enlargement.admin.ch
Project applications for the contribution to EU enlargement
Applications for projects are carried out exclusively in the partner countries. Summary of the process of selecting project proposals and the awarding of a contract for supplies and services.
Project proposal selection and contract awarding procedures
What are the new strategic orientations of Switzerland’s international cooperation? Which principles guide and which instruments are applied in Switzerland’s international cooperation?
Strategy 2013–2016
Swiss cooperation with Eastern Europe
Through its cooperation with Eastern Europe, Switzerland is not only contributes to the reform process in the once Communist states of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union, but is also investing in the stability and prosperity of those states which have acceded to the EU.
The traditional cooperation with Eastern Europe and the CIS (transition assistance) is used to support reforms in the former Communist states of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. Approximately 70% of the financial and technical assistance is earmarked for southeast Europe, recipients of the remaining 30% are states of the former USSR. In all of these partner countries Switzerland has set up cooperation offices to manage its programmes.
With its enlargement contribution, Switzerland invests in the stability and prosperity of the enlarged European Union. Recipients of this support are the ten states that joined the EU on 1 May 2004: the former communist countries of Central Europe (Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia) and the Baltic states (Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania), as well as Malta and Cyprus. Bulgaria and Romania, which acceded to the EU in 2007, also benefit from Switzerland’s enlargement contribution. The integration of new member states is an accomplishment of historic significance for the EU and Switzerland plays it part in this momentous process through its enlargement contribution. This commitment also strengthens relations with the EU, Switzerland’s most important foreign affairs’ partner.
| Mission of Swiss cooperation with Eastern Europe Objectives, principles and legal mandate |
Activities Thematic priorities and activities of Swiss cooperation with Eastern Europe |
| Implementation Operational implementation and focal areas of the implementing agencies |
Geographical focus Map and brief history of Swiss cooperation with Eastern Europe |
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Annual Conference of Swiss Cooperation with Eastern Europe Switzerland's enlargement contribution to the EU- significance, impact, opportunities More than 200 projects are now being implemented as part of the enlargement contribution. At the annual conference of Swiss Cooperation with Eastern Europe on 31 May 2013 in Bern, government representatives and experts from Switzerland and abroad discussed the importance and the impact of these projects. About 750 people took part in the annual conference in the Hotel National, an exceptionally high turnout. |
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Croatia Swiss Enlargement Contribution The Federal Council has taken up discussions on a Swiss Enlargement Contribution to the benefit of Croatia for the first time. Our country has also made such a contribution to the ten countries that joined the EU in 2004, as well as to Bulgaria and Romania when they became EU-Member States in 2007. The economic development and the stability of this region is in the interest of all of Europe, and hence in the interest of Switzerland as well. The Federal Council proposes a contribution of some CHF 45 million for Croatia. Media Release |
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Restitution of Kazakh assets |
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Dossier Education for Roma: the Key to Integration Over the last twenty years, Eastern Europe has become more peaceful, more stable, and more diverse. The reforms that have taken place in the market economy and on the political scene have improved the future outlook of many citizens. However, among those who have not been able to draw any benefit from these developments, we find the ethnic minorities, in particular the Roma. Many Roma have no access to educational offerings. Various programmes being implemented by the SDC strive to rectify this state of affairs |