Swiss Enlargement Contribution: Annual Report 2016

The report shows the results and the state of progress, e.g. in the dual vocational training programme in Slovakia, the fight against human trafficking in Bulgaria and Romania, the rehabilitation of a port in Latvia, and a venture capital fund in Hungary. In addition, it covers the national programmes which have come to a close in Estonia and Slovenia and presents the new programme in Croatia.

Swiss Enlargement Contribution Annual Report 2015

The annual report contains an overview of concrete results and the status of project implementation. Over 500 doctoral students and post-doctoral researchers from the new EU member states received scholarships in 2015 to do research in Switzerland. Bulgaria introduced legislation that provides for outpatient care based on the Swiss Spitex model, and Slovenia halved the heating and electricity bills of schools through energy efficiency renovations and renewable energies.

Evaluation Report on the Swiss Contribution 2015: Key points in brief

An independent evaluation has confirmed the federal authorities have achieved good results in implementing Switzerland’s enlargement contribution to the new EU member states. This report summarises the key findings of the evaluation and outlines the progress and achievements of the Swiss contribution.

Evaluation: Swiss Contribution to the Enlarged European Union

Un seul monde 2/2004

Élargissement de l’Union européenne à l’Est : multiples defies / La Roumanie et ses chantiers: corruption, démocratie et adhésion à l’UE / L’aide humanitaire peut-elle nuire? Un entretien avec Mary Anderson

Un seul monde 4/2001

Asie centrale : la douloureuseindépendance des anciennesrépubliques soviétiques /Tadjikistan : le pays le pluspauvre d’Asie centrale. Portrait /Financement du développement :un débat sur les perspectiveset les possibilités

The Swiss enlargement contribution in a changed environment – now and in the future

The Swiss Enlargement Contribution Interim report for the end of the commitment period in Bulgaria and Romania 2009–2014

Project examples Romania

The Swiss enlargement contribution in a changed environment – now and in the future

Better healthcare provision for the Romanian population

Partnership funds in the new EU member states

A chance for innovative thinkers in Romania

22.03.2018 – Article
Romania is grappling with brain drain. Switzerland has contributed CHF 24.5 million to a loan fund to improve job prospects in Romania. Some 300 local SMEs were granted up to CHF 300,000 credit until the end of 2017, which secured around 3,300 jobs.

Social and medical assistance for rural Romania

18.07.2017 – Article

Switzerland is supporting Romania in the expansion of basic healthcare in remote regions. Support provided to the health and social care centres in the Danube Delta region is already having an impact: thanks to carers on quad bikes and boats, hundreds of people receive medical advice.

Social and medical assistance for rural Romania

18.07.2017 – Article

Switzerland is supporting Romania in the expansion of basic healthcare in remote regions. Support provided to the health and social care centres in the Danube Delta region is already having an impact: thanks to carers on quad bikes and boats, hundreds of people receive medical advice.

Switzerland supports the victims of human trafficking

18.10.2016 – Article

Europe has appealed for international action against trafficking in humans on 18 October every year since 2007. Switzerland is also committed to the fight against human trafficking through its enlargement contribution. It is supporting Bulgaria and Romania with their efforts aimed at prevention, victim protection, reintegration and improving criminal prosecution.

A home for abandoned children in Romania

21.09.2016 – Article

Many Romanian children find themselves in a home – not because they are orphans but for reasons of poverty.  Since the 1990s, members of the Swiss-Romanian association for abandoned children have run a home for abandoned children in the Transylvanian town of Ghimbav. The home offers these children a family environment to grow up in.

Volunteer fire brigade in Romania – civil society involvement

06.07.2016 – Article

Romanian civil society is working to set up a volunteer fire service. More than five years ago the Romanian Parliament passed a law according to which every municipality in the country should have its own volunteer fire brigade. Unfortunately the municipalities did not have the necessary funds so that in many places the law remained dead letter. For this reason, Romanian civil society, with the support of the Opération Villages Roumains - Suisse association and the Swiss contribution to the enlarged EU, has become involved.

Swiss support helps secure jobs in Romania

06.01.2016 – Article

In the town of Reghin in the north-west of Romania, the Moldovan family runs a small business making musical instruments. Thanks to a microcredit provided by Switzerland, they have been able to purchase two new wood-processing machines and a vehicle, helping to make their work more efficient, increase their income and secure jobs.

Sciex research programme comes to an end

28.09.2015 – Article

The closing ceremony of the Sciex scholarship programme was held on 25 September 2015. Thanks to this programme, more than 500 doctoral and post-doctoral students could visit Switzerland for a limited period to conduct and expand their research. 

Young Romanian researching pain in Lausanne

29.01.2015 – Article

Thanks to a Sciex scholarship Alexandru Deftu from Romania has been researching aspects of pain signals in the central nervous system for one year at Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV). On 17 November 2014 he presented his complex field of research at the University of Bern to other research fellows and an interested public as part of the "Sciex Science Slammer 2014" competition. In an interview he talks about his work and the difficulty of making a complex subject accessible to the general public.

Federal Council opens consultation on the continuation of the Federal Act on Cooperation with the States of Eastern Europe

17.12.2014 – Media release
The Federal Council has opened the consultation on the continuation of the Federal Act on Cooperation with the States of Eastern Europe (Eastern Europe Cooperation Act). The current act is still valid until the end of May 2017. A timely prolongation should enable the seamless continuation of cooperation with the countries of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. The consultation will last until 31 March 2015.

Swiss involvement in Bulgaria and Romania: a 5-year review

08.12.2014 – Article

In December 2014, Switzerland will end the first phase of support for Bulgaria and Romania as part of its enlargement contribution to the new EU member states. In the period from 2009 to 2014 clear objectives for these two states were defined. To achieve them, Switzerland selected 28 specific projects and 13 thematic funds comprising numerous individual projects. All of these projects are due to be implemented by 2019. The SDC and State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) are responsible for implementing this support on behalf of Switzerland.

End of commitment period for enlargement contribution to Bulgaria and Romania

08.12.2014 – Media release
The commitment period of the enlargement contribution for Bulgaria and Romania, which joined the EU in 2007, ended on 7 December. In all, 13 thematic funds and 28 projects totalling CHF 257 million were approved. The Swiss commitment aims to eradicate social and economic disparities in the enlarged European Union (EU).

The Swiss contribution in brief

Information on Switzerland’s contribution to the enlarged EU: a brief presentation including project examples.

Romania: Anti Human Trafficking