What does it mean that Switzerland has been “readmitted” to Horizon Europe?

In 2021, during the interruption of negotiations on the Rahmenabkommen, Switzerland had lost access to Horizon Europe, the main European research funding programme. Bilateral agreements III, concluded at the end of 2023 and ratified at the beginning of 2025, re-established this participation. Horizon Europe is described by the head of the FDFA as “the largest international research programme in the world” and is crucial for Swiss universities, research institutions and companies seeking European funding and collaborations in areas such as energy, artificial intelligence, health and climate.

When will the Federal Parliament vote on bilateral III?

The date was not communicated in Cassis' speech. The agreements are signed and now in the hands of Parliament. The process of review, discussion in committees and plenary votes takes several months. There is no popular vote on this dossier.

What are the risks of the neutrality initiative according to Cassis?

According to the head of the FDFA, the strict neutrality written into the Constitution would reduce Switzerland's room for manoeuvre. Military cooperation could only begin after an attack or an imminent attack — too late. Constitutional automatisms could paralyze the Federal Council in taking decisions on a case-by-case basis, as is the case today with international sanctions. Cassis argues that more rules don't automatically mean more security.

What exactly does Switzerland vote for on September 27, 2026?

The Swiss will vote on the popular neutrality initiative. The question is not whether Switzerland will remain neutral — this is already established — but whether it is appropriate to inscribe a more restrictive and rigid neutrality in the Federal Constitution. The initiative proposes detailed formulations that would limit decision-making flexibility. The Federal Council opposes the initiative.

Why is Cassis talking about "another era" compared to 2021?

In 2021, the Federal Council had just broken off negotiations with the EU, and relations were “grey.” A few months later, the geopolitical situation changed radically: Russian invasion of Ukraine, US-China escalation, geopoliticalisation of the economy. These events transformed the context and made the climate more conducive to Swiss bilateral negotiations. For Cassis, the contrast illustrates how fast the world can change and why Switzerland needs to maintain decision-making flexibility.

Switzerland-EU: bilateral and neutrality between geopolitical stability (cross-border guide)

Di Redazione Frontaliere Ticino · Published on 24 August 2026

Bellinzona skyline representing Swiss political stability and federal governance

Cassis announces the return of Switzerland to Horizon Europe. On 27 September, a crucial vote on the neutrality initiative. The head of the FDFA illustrates the path from the suspended negotiations of 2021 to the current agreements.

Context

In a nutshell

Switzerland readmitted to Horizon Europe, the largest international research program
Bilateral agreements III signed: now responsibility to the Federal Parliament
Vote on neutrality initiative on 27 September 2026
Cassis: geopolitics changed radically from 2021 to today

Key facts

What: Speech by the head of the FDFA on EU relations and Swiss neutrality
When: 24 August 2026
Where: Basel, metrobasel summer event
Who: Ignazio Cassis, Federal Councillor and Head of the FDFA
Voting deadline: 27 September 2026
Research programme: Horizon Europe (readmission at the beginning of 2025)

In Basel, on 24 August 2026, Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis, head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), traced a five-year path marked by unforeseen geopolitical transformations. Returning to the stage of the metrobasel summer event — where he had spoken in 2021 during the negotiations on the Rahmenabkommen — Cassis compared the situation then with the present.

In 2021, Switzerland-EU relations were grey as an “elephant” in the middle of the road. The Federal Council had just broken off negotiations on the Rahmenabkommen, the multiannual institutional agreement with the European Union. Cassis remembered the era as “another era”: a few months later, Russia invaded Ukraine, the US-China rivalry deepened, and the economy morphed into geopolitics.

From 2022 to 2023: a cautious restart

Between 2022 and

Operational details

The challenge of international cooperation

The speech addressed a second central question. On September 27, 2026, the Swiss will vote on the neutrality initiative. It is not a question of whether Switzerland will remain neutral — a rhetorical question — but whether it is necessary to inscribe a more restrictive neutrality in the Federal Constitution. The initiative aims to formulate detailed and strict rules that bind the Confederation in a new way.

Cassis criticizes an excessively rigid view of neutrality. More rules don't necessarily mean more safety; they often reduce the room for decision making. The initiative, for example, would significantly limit military and defence cooperation. Under the proposal, Switzerland could work more closely with allies only after an attack on the country has already taken place or is imminent. A metaphor of Cassis is fitting: "He who seeks the pipe of the hydrant only when the fire breaks out, comes too late." True international cooperation must be prepared, exercised and tested in advance, not improvised during the crisis.

The decision principle on a case-by-case basis

Even for international sanctions, the system would change. Today the Federal Council decides on a case-by-case basis, assessing international law and Swiss interests before acting. The initiative would involve automatisms that, Cassis argues, are not consistent with the principle of

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Key points

What will happen in the Federal Parliament

Bilateral agreements III are signed and Parliament will now have to express its opinion. There is still no official deadline communicated by Cassis, but the international context and the economic repercussions — Horizon Europe is about research, innovation, competitiveness — make parliamentary scrutiny a priority. Federal deputies and state councillors will have to vote separately in sessions that Parliament will schedule in the coming months. The political relevance is very high: the result will determine whether Switzerland consolidates its relationship with the EU in the areas of research, innovation and academic and economic collaboration.

The parliamentary procedure includes discussions in committees, preliminary reports, and finally plenary votes in both chambers. The path requires months of work, given the volume and complexity of the dossiers. Parliament's decisions will also determine whether Swiss ratification of the agreements can proceed.

The neutrality vote: September 27, 2026

The election deadline is set for 27 September 2026. The Swiss will have access to official information material from the Federal Chancellery, the parliamentary committees and the initiators of the initiative, as well as from the official positions of the Federal Council which has declared its opposition. The Federal Chancellery will publish official texts, messages, reports and analyses to enable citizens to train

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Source: admin.ch

Frequently Asked Questions

What does it mean that Switzerland has been “readmitted” to Horizon Europe?: In 2021, during the interruption of negotiations on the Rahmenabkommen, Switzerland had lost access to Horizon Europe, the main European research funding programme. Bilateral agreements III, concluded at the end of 2023 and ratified at the beginning of 2025, re-established this participation. Horizon Europe is described by the head of the FDFA as “the largest international research programme in the world” and is crucial for Swiss universities, research institutions and companies seeking European
When will the Federal Parliament vote on bilateral III?: The date was not communicated in Cassis' speech. The agreements are signed and now in the hands of Parliament. The process of review, discussion in committees and plenary votes takes several months. There is no popular vote on this dossier.
What are the risks of the neutrality initiative according to Cassis?: According to the head of the FDFA, the strict neutrality written into the Constitution would reduce Switzerland's room for manoeuvre. Military cooperation could only begin after an attack or an imminent attack — too late. Constitutional automatisms could paralyze the Federal Council in taking decisions on a case-by-case basis, as is the case today with international sanctions. Cassis argues that more rules don't automatically mean more security.
What exactly does Switzerland vote for on September 27, 2026?: The Swiss will vote on the popular neutrality initiative. The question is not whether Switzerland will remain neutral — this is already established — but whether it is appropriate to inscribe a more restrictive and rigid neutrality in the Federal Constitution. The initiative proposes detailed formulations that would limit decision-making flexibility. The Federal Council opposes the initiative.
Why is Cassis talking about "another era" compared to 2021?: In 2021, the Federal Council had just broken off negotiations with the EU, and relations were “grey.” A few months later, the geopolitical situation changed radically: Russian invasion of Ukraine, US-China escalation, geopoliticalisation of the economy. These events transformed the context and made the climate more conducive to Swiss bilateral negotiations. For Cassis, the contrast illustrates how fast the world can change and why Switzerland needs to maintain decision-making flexibility.