Federal Council strengthens Movetia’s governance

In order to ensure that the Movetia agency is optimally positioned to meet future challenges, its governance is to be strengthened. These challenges include Switzerland’s planned association with the EU’s Erasmus+ education programme – Movetia is to act as an EU-accredited agency for the implementation of Switzerland’s participation in the programme. To this end, on 19 June 2026, the Federal Council revised the Ordinance on International Cooperation and Mobility.

In parallel, Movetia’s Foundation board has completely revised the foundation’s articles of association. The changes aim to establish a clear division of responsibilities and roles in the governance, management and supervision of Movetia. SERI, FOC and FSIO, as Movetia’s commissioning bodies, are withdrawing from the Foundation board and thus from the management of Movetia. Instead, Foundation board members from outside the federal administration are to strengthen Movetia’s positioning in its various fields of activity. To ensure overarching political and strategic governance, the Chair of Movetia’s Foundation board will in future be elected by the Federal Council upon the recommendation of the Foundation board.

The EDK will remain represented on the Foundation board and will ensure the link with the Cantons, which in turn, through their educational institutions, promote exchange and mobility at all levels and across language barriers.

These changes will ensure that Movetia adheres as closely as possible to the federal government’s tried-and-tested principles of corporate governance regarding supervision, transparency and accountability.

Federal Council press release (in German)

The WBK-S narrowly votes in favor of Erasmus+ association in 2027

The Council of States’ Committee on Science, Education, and Culture (WBK-S) has spoken out in favor of Switzerland’s participation in Erasmus+ as part of its deliberations on the Switzerland-EU package. The close vote sends a positive signal: With a 5-5 tie and the chair casting the deciding vote, the committee approved the federal resolution on funding Switzerland’s participation in the EU programme, as proposed by the Federal Council, starting in 2027.

The majority of the committee highlighted the added value / additional benefit of Erasmus+ for Switzerland. The programme strengthens the skills of students and VET students/apprentices—particularly in vocational education and training—and thus ultimately benefits the Swiss economy. The minority, however, based its rejection on fiscal policy arguments.
The Commission also emphasized that the Erasmus+ dossier is part of European policy and should therefore be addressed together with the entire Switzerland-EU package. The deliberations are accordingly scheduled for the fall session.

Switzerland’s association with Erasmus+ starting in 2027 therefore remains possible in principle. However, it depends on the parliamentary process regarding the 2027 budget as well as on decisions to be made in 2026 within the framework of the Bilateral Agreements III.

Go to the Parliament's press release.

Preliminary rejection by the Finance Committee

The Finance Committee of the Council of States voted 7 to 5 against the Federal Council’s proposed appropriation of 192 million Swiss francs for Switzerland’s association with Erasmus+ starting in 2027.

The majority of the committee questioned the effectiveness and benefits of the Erasmus+ programme. It recommends that the Committee on Science, Education, and Culture examine possible options. The decision now rests with the WBK-S, which will soon issue a statement on the matter.

The Federal Council has submitted the package on Swiss-EU relations to Parliament

On Friday, March 13, the Federal Council submitted the package on Swiss-EU relations to Parliament, which includes, among other things, the federal decree on the financing of Switzerland’s participation in the Erasmus+ programme. This step marks the beginning of the parliamentary phase, during which the Chambers will review the agreements and the necessary appropriations to enable Switzerland’s association with Erasmus+ starting in 2027. Following parliamentary review, the decisions may still be subject to an optional referendum.

The United Kingdom is rejoining the Erasmus+ programme and ending its own initiative, the “Turing Scheme.”

Five years after Brexit, the British government has reached an agreement with Brussels to rejoin the European Erasmus+ programme starting in 2027. This shift mirrors the situation in Switzerland, which finds itself in a similar position. Membership in Erasmus+ would offer Switzerland—as it does the United Kingdom—unrestricted access to the diverse range of opportunities, networks, and tools offered by the European education programme.

Outcome of the consultation: a broad majority supports the Switzerland–EU package

At its meeting on 5 December 2025, the Federal Council discussed the results of the consultation on the package ‘Stabilisation and Further Development of Switzerland–EU Relations (Bilateral Agreements III)’. It notes that a broad majority of those taking part in the consultation process expressed support for the Switzerland–EU package.

This also applies to the division of education, research and innovation. Switzerland’s association with Erasmus+ is welcomed by a large majority of those who commented on the matter. Particular emphasis was placed on integration into international mobility networks and the positive impact on Switzerland’s competitiveness and innovative strength.

The funding required for association with Erasmus+ is to be submitted to Parliament in March 2026 as part of the approval message, so that Switzerland can participate in the programme from 2027.

Switzerland and EU sign agreement on Swiss participation in EU programmes

Federal Councillor Guy Parmelin and EU Commissioner Ekaterina Zaharieva signed the Switzerland-EU programmes agreement (EUPA) in Bern on 10 November 2025. This part of the Switzerland-EU package can be provisionally applied with retroactive effect from the beginning of 2025. The agreement paves the way for association to Erasmus+.

At the signing ceremony, Federal Councillor Guy Parmelin and Ekaterina Zaharieva, the EU Commissioner responsible for start-ups, research and innovation, stressed the importance of Swiss-EU cooperation for all of Europe as a location for education, research and innovation in the face of global competition. With the signing of the programmes agreement, Switzerland is associated to Horizon Europe, the Euratom and the Digital Europe programmes with retroactive effect from 1 January 2025. Association to the ITER research infrastructure is planned from 2026 and to Erasmus+ from 2027. The Federal Council will request the funds necessary to finance Erasmus+ from Parliament, as part of the Switzerland-EU package. Participation in the EU4Health programme is linked to the entry into force of the health agreement in the Switzerland-EU package.

Press release

Consultation on bilateral agreements opened

The consultation on the agreements between Switzerland and the EU, which also include Erasmus+, opened on Friday 13 June and will run until the end of October. The agreement on Switzerland's participation in EU programmes – including EUPA (Erasmus+) – will be signed this November. This means that Switzerland is expected to be associated with the Erasmus+ programme from 2027.

EUPA agreement: another step towards reassociation

The Federal Council has approved the draft agreement on European Union programmes (EUPA), which includes Erasmus+. The Minister of Economy, Education and Research, Guy Parmelin, announced this at a press conference in Bern on Thursday. ‘The way is now clear for the agreement on European programmes to be signed. This is an important step towards our association with programmes such as Horizon Europe and Erasmus+.’

Switzerland and EU initial agreement on programmes

On 2 April, the chief negotiators from Switzerland and the European Union initialled an agreement in Brussels on Switzerland’s participation in EU programmes. The EU Programmes Agreement (EUPA) governs Switzerland's participation in EU programmes and will only come into force once the overall Switzerland-EU package has been ratified. However, it can be applied in advance, which would afford Switzerland provisional association to Horizon Europe, the Euratom programme and the Digital Europe Programme with retroactive effect from 2025, as well as to ITER from 2026 and Erasmus+ from 2027. For that to happen the EUPA must be signed by this November, i.e. before the signing of the remaining elements of the Switzerland-EU package. The EUPA nevertheless remains part of the overall package in terms of ratification proceedings. The text of the EUPA will be published in the coming weeks.

Erasmus+ in the package of agreements between the EU and Switzerland

Negotiations between Switzerland and the European Union have come to a conclusion on Friday. The two partners have reached a global agreement that includes Erasmus+ and Horizon Europe. A re-association with Erasmus+ would then take place in 2027, once the parliamentary debate and the necessary steps linked to accreditation have been completed.

This is excellent news for Movetia, as it would provide the Swiss education system with unrestricted access to the offers, network and tools of the European education programme. This is an important step towards strengthening the quality of education, facilitating the exchange of best practices and stimulating the transfer of innovation for the Swiss economy of the future.

Switzerland could be joining Erasmus+ in 2027

At its meeting on 6 November, the Federal Council took a decision in principle on Switzerland's association with Erasmus+. It will submit the financing decision to Parliament as part of the message on the overall package for negotiations with the European Union. This would enable Switzerland to join the European education programme Erasmus+ in 2027.

Movetia is delighted with this decision, which gives a clearer and more concrete perspective to Switzerland's association with the Erasmus+ programme. Although Parliament will still have to adopt a position, the direction taken by the Federal Council means that the national agency and all those involved in education in Switzerland will be able to prepare for this possibility over the next two years.