27 april 2017

Federal Council adopts dispatch (explanatory memorandum) on “Promotion of international mobility in education and training for 2018-2020”.


Switzerland will not be rejoining the Erasmus+ programme until 2020. The Federal Council informed the Parliament of this decision with the dispatch “Promotion of international mobility in education and training for 2018-2020”.

Movetia, the national agency, will continue cooperating closely with Swiss education institutions and organisations to promote and strengthen mobility, exchanges and cooperation with Europe. And it will keep trying to maintain Switzerland’s contact with the European education and training programme.

The dispatch to Parliament guarantees that exchanges and mobility with Europe will be funded until 2020. Unlike the previous one-year extensions, this decision gives more planning certainty.


Dispatch to Parliament “International mobility in education and training for 2018-2020” and Federal Council media release (in german)



Background: Swiss interim solution for Erasmus+

The European Commission had postponed negotiations on Switzerland’s association with Erasmus+ after the mass immigration initiative was approved. It had then changed Switzerland’s status to partner country. To continue ensuring funding for cooperation and mobility activities with the Erasmus+ programme countries, in 2014 the Federal Council adopted an interim solution for Erasmus+ financed with Swiss funds. Previously, this was extended, each time, by one year, the last time until 2017. The Swiss solution can only partially cover the wide variety of activities and other benefits offered by Erasmus+ for all education sectors.