European Union Funding
Everything you need to navigate EU research and innovation funding at a glance.
Ressources
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Horizon Europe
Research and innovation funding programme until 2027. How to get funding, programme structure, missions, European partnerships, news and events.
From 2025 onwards Swiss institutions can participate as beneficiaries.
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Euresearch Support
The Swiss Network informs and advises on Horizon Europe and linked research and innovation programmes which are open to Swiss researchers.
Euresearch publishes a monthly e-publication and researchers can subscribe to various services.
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SERI
The State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) gives the latest updates on Swiss participation in Horizon Europe and deals with funding requests.
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SwissCore
The Brussels-based contact office for SNSF, Innosuisse and SERI informs on European research, innovation politics and education developments.
A monthly electronic newsletter called ‘Synopsis’ is sent to subscribers by email.
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Partners for EU projects
The following resources can be used to search for partners and publish your own profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
Horizon Europe
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What is the current status of Switzerland in Horizon Europe?
The EU Programmes Agreement (EUPA) was signed on 10 November 2025. It applies with immediate effect, meaning that Switzerland is associated to Horizon Europe, the Euratom programme and the Digital Europe Programme retroactively from 1 January 2025. Swiss institutions and their researchers and innovators participate as beneficiaries to the mentioned programmes.
The budget of the Swiss partner must be included in the total grant amount that the consortium is requesting from the EU, and Swiss partner can coordinate projects.
For running projects (2024 and older) nothing changes.
SERI regularly publishes information on the programme and the Swiss status.
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What is the status of Swiss researchers in Horizon Europe?
Due to the signature of the EU Programmes Agreement (EUPA) researchers and innovators in Switzerland participate as beneficiaries in calls for proposals of Horizon Europe, the Euratom programme and the Digital Europe Programme from the 2025 year onwards. This means that the budget of the Swiss partner must be included in the total grant amount that the consortium is requesting from the EU, and that they can submit project proposals in the role of coordinator.
Switzerland's participation in calls for proposals in areas considered strategic by the EU (including quantum and space) will be the subject of technical discussions with the European Commission. And in the Digital Europe Programme the specific Objectives 3 (Cybersecurity) and 6 (Semiconductors) are not open.
For running projects or projects submitted with a call 2024 nothing changes to the situation at the time of the submission.
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What is the status of transitional measures in Switzerland?
In 2024 SNSF stopped transitional measures for the ERC instruments and in 2025 the Swiss Postdoctoral Fellowships due to the transitional arrangement, giving Swiss participants again access to the European instruments.
Innosuisse did the same for the Swiss EIC accelerator.
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How is Horizon Europe structured?
Horizon Europe will run from 2021-2027 and has a budget of 95.5 billion Euro.
The programme is structured again in 3 pillars like in Horizon 2020: Excellent Science, Global challenges and Industrial competitiveness, Innovative Europe. There is also a horizontal line called widening participation and strengthening of the European Research Area.
More details:
Project preparation
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Can I request incentive funds to help me prepare my EU project?
SERI dissolved the lump-sum funds for coordinator and uses the funds for project financing.
If you are a researcher from the University of Fribourg, you can apply for support from the Research Pool, which supports advanced researchers in the setting up of larger projects. Deadlines are 31 January and 31 July each year.
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What does a Horizon Europe Proposal look like?
Each proposal consists of Part A and Part B. Part A is administrative forms, including an abstract and a budget. Part B is the description of your project work.
For some calls the EC prepared templates of additional documents that are mandatory, eg. the excel for lumps sum budgets or the ownership control declaration for restricted calls.
On the European Commission's Funding & Tender Opportunities Portal you can find all the Horizon Europe calls with the documentation (e.g. relevant Guide for Applicants) and also register.
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Who can help me fill in the administrative part (Part A, 5 sections)?
Contact the Research Promotion Service for help filling in your forms. We provide you with:
- Assistance budgeting project costs
- Salary tables (sent per email)- PIC and other points you have to check in the form
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What do I need to consider while preparing my budget?
Every budget consists of direct and indirect costs. Direct costs are salaries, cost of consumables, equipment, travel and perhaps subcontracting. Indirect costs are overhead linked to the project (25% of the direct costs). Usually 100% of the costs are covered. The Research Promotion Service can help you prepare the budget.
In the Grant Tool you find also a budget calculator.
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Where can I find information on salary ranges valid for the University of Fribourg?
The Research Promotion Service provides a salary table (sent per email). You find the table also under myunifr, HR folder.
If you need information on other salary categories then contact the Human Resources service.
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What percentage of funding can I expect for which type of project and activity?
The European Commission sets different funding rates by project type and institution. As a general rule:
- Research and Innovation projects (RIA): 100% for all types of participants.
- Innovation projects (IA): 100% funding rate for non-profit organisations, 70% for other types of participants.
- Coordination and support actions (CSA): 100% for all types of participants.
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Are there any private companies offering help in project submission and administrative management?
Euresearch provides a non-exhaustive list of companies specialised in such services, who can support you from first project ideas to the finalized project.
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How can I find partners for my projects?
Use your own network, participate in Brokerage events and EU Info days, benefit from partner search platforms, go through the list of past projects ( Cordis Database).
Project submission
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How do I proceed with submitting my proposal?
On the European Commission's Tender & Funding Opportunities Portal, you first need to identify the open call to which you would like to submit your application. You then have to register to get access to a platform where you can work on your proposal.
Important: your proposal is submitted only if you push the submission button.
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What administrative information do I need to apply as a participant from the University of Fribourg?
- Legal Entity: UNIVERSITE DE FRIBOURG
- PIC: 999855728
- Contact point: main scientist or team leader
- Main contact point of institution: Grégoire Vittoz, Director of Administration, gregoire.vittoz@unifr.ch, +41 26 300 7003
- GEP: yes
- Legal Entity: UNIVERSITE DE FRIBOURG
- PIC: 999855728
- Contact point: main scientist or team leader
- Main contact point of institution: Grégoire Vittoz, Director of Administration, gregoire.vittoz@unifr.ch, +41 26 300 7003
- GEP: yes
Project negotiation
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What administrative information do I need in order to start negotiating my contract (Grant Agreement) with the European Commission?
Calls 2021-2024: Swiss Institutions participate as “associated partners”. They do not sign the Grant Agreement with the European Commission and as consequence do not participate in the Grant Agreement preparation.
However, as soon as the Grant Agreement is signed by the European Partners, they submit a request to SERI for national funding.
Calls 2025 onwards: The EU Programmes Agreement (EUPA) allows Swiss participants retroactively from 1 January 2025 on to submit as beneficiaries. Swiss partners participate to the Grant agreement Preparation and get the financing from EU.
If you are invited to the Grant Agreement Preparation you need:
- Authorised representative: Prof. Katharina Fromm, Rector
- Person in charge of administrative, legal and financial aspects: Grégoire Vittoz
- Person in charge of scientific and technical aspects: Main scientist or team leader
- LEAR (Legal Entity Appointed Representative): Doris Kolly, Research Promotion Service/Euresearch Fribourg
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Who can sign for an EU project?
The Rector of the University of Fribourg is the "authorised representative to sign the grant agreement or to commit the organisation". This is valuable for the "Declaration of Honour", the "Grant Agreement" and the "Consortium Agreement", as well for the Consortium Agreement with the European partners and the SERI contracts.
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How do I get an EU Login account?
The Entry Point is the European Commission's Funding & Tender Portal. There you can register for an EU Login account and afterwards log in to your project. EU Login accounts are linked to different roles in the project and depending on your role, you will have different access rights for the project documents (negotiation, scientific and financial reporting).
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Which account from the University do I have to mention in the grant agreement preparation phase?
European Projects (e.g. Horizon 2020, Horizon Europe) are administered centrally by the Financial Services of the University (contact: Ms N. Angeloz, Mr J-N. Tercier). It does not matter if the funding comes from Europe (in Euro) or from SERI (in CHF).
Calls 2021-2024: Switzerland is a “non-associated third country” and Swiss participants participate as “associated partner”. They will be financed by SERI in CHF. Projects have to be announced via a webform to SERI; at the University you open a “Drittmittel / Source externe” account via myunifr.”
Calls 2025 onwards: With the signature of the EU Programmes Agreement (EUPA) Swiss institutions and researchers participate as beneficiary, and the financing will come from EU. The University has an Euro account and this is the account you have to list on the forms. Details are available from the Research Promotion Service or Financial Services. For the internal administration of your project, you open a “Drittmittel / Source externe” account via myunifr.
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Who do I have to contact for questions about intellectual property rights?
For Unifr: Innovation Knowledge and technology transfer (KTT), head Mrs Valeria Mozzetti
(techtransfer@unifr.ch). She also comments on the Consortium Agreements of European Projects.For Adolphe Merkle Institute (AMI): Ana Marques, Head of Technology Transfer and Innovation, ana.marques@unifr.ch. She also comments on the Consortium Agreements of European Projects.
Project running phase
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I am now starting my project, how can I record the time spent on the project?
If you are working on a European project, you will need to use a timesheet to record the time spent on the project. EU and SERI are asking for.
You can get an excel timesheet for Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe projects from the Research Promotion Service.
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Who do I have to inform at the University if I become a partner in a Horizon Europe project?
Please inform the Research Promotion Service. If you plan to hire people on the EU project, mention this in the documents for Human Resources Services and contact Financial Services to open an account “Drittmittel / Source externe”. This is independent of the funding agency (EU or SERI).
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What type of contract will I get for a Marie Curie Fellowship?
Calls 2021-2024: the European Postdoctoral fellowships are not open for Swiss Institutions, and in the Global Postdoctoral fellowships the fellow has in general an employment contract with the sending European host. However, we recommend to take contact with the Human resources at the University of Fribourg to check if the conditions for a stay at the University are fulfilled.
Doctoral students in a Doctoral network will get an employment contract from the University of Fribourg. Please contact your supervisor in Fribourg to get more information.
Calls 2025 onwards: The Host Institution can recruit the fellow either under an employment contract with full social security coverage or a fixed amount fellowship with minimum social security (Type B). The University of Fribourg offers an employment contract.
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When do I have to write a report?
When financed by SERI you find indications on the periodic and final reports in the SERI contract or on their webpage (guidelines, reporting form etc).
If the project is financed by EU you have to read the Grant Agreement very carefully. There you will find indications on the periodic reports and the final report, both consisting of a scientific and financial part, and as well on the scientific reports. A Coordinator can ask for additional internal reports.
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Where can I find specific FAQs for Marie Curie Actions?
You can find it under: http://mariecurieactions.blogspot.com/
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Where can I find specific FAQs for questions related to the ERC?
On the ERC Europa.
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How do I contact SERI and ask for national funding?
Calls 2021-2024: when you submit the proposal you do not need to inform SERI. However, as soon as the Grant Agreement is signed by the European Partners, you will have the documents needed to submit a request to SERI for national funding. The request is done via a webtool. The Research Promotion Service can support you.