CHF 190 million for a sustainable energy policy

18.03.2014 — Press release Lithuania

Switzerland is supporting a sustainable energy policy in six partner countries with around CHF 190 million from its enlargement contribution. In Estonia, for example, the contribution is being used to make the design of three preschools and a home for the elderly more energy efficient. Four Estonian communities showcased their building projects on 14 March 2014. In February 2014, Switzerland approved a project to institutionalise the energy city label in Romania.

Switzerland and Lithuania Against Food Waste

10.03.2014 — Press release Lithuania

A Lithuanian non-profit organisation in cooperation with the "Schweizer Tafel" feeds the poor and fights against food waste

Breakfast with Journalists at the Vilnius Maternity House

16.01.2014 — Press release Lithuania

Swiss - Lithuanian Health Programme

Leveraging the OSCE's and Switzerland's common goals

09.01.2014 — Press release Lithuania

Switzerland is to chair the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in 2014. Switzerland is thereby stepping up its efforts to promote stability in Europe and in neighbouring regions. The SDC is also involved in the countries of Eastern Europe. Ambassador Kurt Kunz, head of the Cooperation with Eastern Europe Directorate, explains how Switzerland's and the OSCE's shared goals can be leveraged.

Federal Councillor Burkhalter visits projects in Lithuania and Latvia

02.08.2013 — Article EB

Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter travelled to Lithuania and Latvia from 29 July to 1 August for working meetings. Among other stops on his schedule, he visited two projects supported by Switzerland as part of its enlargement contribution.

Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter to visit the Baltic countries to deepen bilateral relations and discuss relations with the European Union

29.07.2013 — Press release EDA
From 29 July to 1 August, Mr Burkhalter, the head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), will pay an official working visit to Lithuania and then to Latvia. He will make the traditional 1 August speech to mark Switzerland's national day in Riga. The main aims of this official working visit are to deepen bilateral relations, to discuss the importance of relations between Switzerland and the European Union (EU) and to present Switzerland's priorities for its chairmanship of the OSCE in 2014. Mr Burkhalter will also visit a number of projects that are part of the Swiss enlargement contribution. This contribution is a key element in the bilateral relationships between Switzerland and each of these two countries.

Switzerland

31.05.2013 — Press release EDA
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.

No signing of Swiss–EU institutional agreement

26.05.2021 — Press release EDA
At its meeting on 26 May, the Federal Council undertook an overall evaluation of the outcome of the negotiations on the institutional framework agreement (InstA). It concluded that there remain substantial differences between Switzerland and the EU on key aspects of the agreement. The conditions are thus not met for the signing of the agreement. The Federal Council today took the decision not to sign the agreement, and communicated this decision to the EU. This brings the negotiations on the draft of the InstA to a close. The Federal Council nevertheless considers it to be in the shared interest of Switzerland and the EU to safeguard their well-established cooperation and to systematically maintain the agreements already in force. It therefore wishes to launch a political dialogue with the EU on continued cooperation. Meanwhile, it has tasked the Federal Department of Justice and Police (FDJP) to consider how autonomous amendments to Swiss legislation might contribute to the stabilisation of Swiss–EU relations.

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

19.06.2017 — Press release EB

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.

“It’s by talking with people from the local population that you see how effective development cooperation is“

29.09.2014 — Press release Lithuania

Martin Dahinden served as head of the SDC from 2008 to 2014. At the end of September 2014, he leaves Switzerland to become the country’s new ambassador in Washington. In this interview, Martin Dahinden looks back on his years with the SDC, recalls personal highlights, talks about the changes in Swiss development cooperation over the years, and names future challenges.

Switzerland’s role in negotiations for a new development agenda: building bridges, influencing outcomes, offering concrete proposals

25.09.2014 — Press release Lithuania

The UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) will expire in 2015. Switzerland is working with the international community towards developing new global development goals. Ambassador Michael Gerber, special representative for global sustainable development, is representing Switzerland at the international negotiations for the post-2015 development agenda. In this interview he looks back on the MDGs, highlights what is different about the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and talks about Switzerland’s position.

Swiss budget for Syrians in desperate need increased by CHF 20 million

23.09.2014 — Press release Lithuania

Bern, 23.09.2014 - To improve the desperate situation of people affected by the conflict in Syria, Switzerland’s Humanitarian Aid has increased its support measures both for people in Syria and the over three million refugees in the neighbouring states. Switzerland’s budget since the start of the Syrian crisis totals CHF 105 million.

Switzerland takes further measures to fight the Ebola epidemic

23.09.2014 — Press release Lithuania

Bern, 23.09.2014 - Switzerland is making an additional CHF 5 million available to support efforts to prevent the further spread of the Ebola epidemic and provide the people living in affected countries with the assistance they need. This announcement was made by the President of the Swiss Confederation, Didier Burkhalter, in New York in the margins of the United Nations General Assembly. The contribution is intended to support Switzerland's multilateral partner organisations in the field of humanitarian aid in their activities in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone, as well as its bilateral aid projects in Liberia.

Switzerland sends winter equipment for internally displaced persons in Northern Iraq

18.09.2014 — Press release Lithuania

Bern, 18.09.2014 - Switzerland has decided to send relief aid to the greater Erbil area in Northern Iraq. The cargo consists primarily of cold weather tents intended to help people displaced by the war to survive the winter. Today, a specialist from the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit (SHA) is flying to Erbil to prepare for distributing the aid. More specialists from the Swiss cooperation office in Amman will join him on the ground.

Federal Council submits to Parliament dispatch on enlargement contribution to Croatia

28.05.2014 — Press release Lithuania

Bern, 28.05.2014 - The Federal Council has submitted to Parliament its dispatch on the approval of a framework credit for an enlargement contribution of CHF 45 million to Croatia. Switzerland's commitment in Croatia is in keeping with the policy it has pursued in recent years with regard to the countries of Eastern Europe to support them in their modernisation efforts. This policy is in Switzerland's economic interests, and not only strengthens relations with these countries, but also helps to create jobs. The Federal Council had announced the framework credit on 30 April 2014, when a corresponding addendum to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the EU was adopted. Parliament has yet to approve the contribution. The money should then be committed to specific projects in Croatia by the end of May 2017.

New Public Tender

30.04.2014 — Press release Lithuania

CHF 190 million for a sustainable energy policy

18.03.2014 — Press release Lithuania

Switzerland is supporting a sustainable energy policy in six partner countries with around CHF 190 million from its enlargement contribution. In Estonia, for example, the contribution is being used to make the design of three preschools and a home for the elderly more energy efficient. Four Estonian communities showcased their building projects on 14 March 2014. In February 2014, Switzerland approved a project to institutionalise the energy city label in Romania.

Switzerland and Lithuania Against Food Waste

10.03.2014 — Press release Lithuania

A Lithuanian non-profit organisation in cooperation with the "Schweizer Tafel" feeds the poor and fights against food waste

Breakfast with Journalists at the Vilnius Maternity House

16.01.2014 — Press release Lithuania

Swiss - Lithuanian Health Programme

One billion well invested

05.06.2018 — Article EB
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 — EB
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.

State Secretary in the Baltic States

22.05.2015 — Local news Lithuania

State Secretary Marie-Gabrielle Ineichen-Fleisch travelled to the Baltic states from 18 to 22 May. Her itinerary included three projects that Switzerland is supporting through its enlargement contribution.

Federal Councillor Burkhalter visits projects in Lithuania and Latvia

02.08.2013 — Article EB

Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter travelled to Lithuania and Latvia from 29 July to 1 August for working meetings. Among other stops on his schedule, he visited two projects supported by Switzerland as part of its enlargement contribution.