Promoting economic growth and improving working conditions
Switzerland supports projects with CHF 333 million in its partner countries. They support economic growth and improve working conditions. This is also in Switzerland's interest as the Swiss export industry profits from developing the Eastern European growth markets and the increasing spending power in the partner countries.
The projects are extremely varied and range from supporting structurally weak regions in South-East Poland and the implementation of a dual vocational training system in Slovakia to scholarships for young scientists from the new EU member states. The enlargement contribution also finances small company loans and thus contributes to the creation and preservation of numerous jobs. It also strengthens companies' social responsibility and tourism in structurally weak regions and improves the application of international financial reporting and auditing standards, which increases investors' willingness to invest and helps to prevent financial crises.
Results
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With the support of the SCIEX scholarship programme, 1,350 researchers contributed almost 1,000 scientific articles. © SDC
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128 bilateral research partnerships facilitated the registration of 28 new patents. © SDC
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Czechia, Hungary, Latvia, Poland and Romania: Supporting SMEs with credits, venture capital and loan guarantees has created 7,000 jobs © SECO
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Bulgaria, Romania, Cyprus and Slovakia: The development of vocational education and training programmes helps young people to access the job market. © SDC
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Poland: Pilot projects in 177 SMEs are strengthening companies’ social responsibility. © SECO
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Romania: 80 Romanian SMEs operating in the organic farming and wood furniture manufacturing sectors are now well placed to compete in international markets. © SECO
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Hungary, Poland and Slovakia: The economic situation in structurally weak regions is being improved through promoting tourism and marketing regional products. © SDC
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Training for more than 12,000 experts is increasing the credibility of financial reporting in Estonia, Czechia, Latvia, Poland and Slovenia. © SECO
Documents (13)
News (38)
Kick-off of the Scholarship Fund Programme in the Partner Countries
15.06.2009 – Article
With the launch of a pilot phase in Poland and the Czech Republic, the implementation of the scholarship programme within the scope of the Swiss enlargement contribution has gotten underway. The beneficiaries of this CHF 30 million-endowed programme are young and promising research scientists from the Central and Eastern European EU-Member States.
Implementation of enlargement contribution in Poland
13.05.2009 – Local news
Switzerland is helping to facilitate access to long-term financing for SMEs in Poland. On 13 May, the Federal Council decided to make CHF 53 million from the enlargement contribution fund available for venture capital investments with a view to enabling job creation in structurally weak regions.
Videos (2)
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The Swiss contribution in brief
Information on Switzerland’s contribution to the enlarged EU: a brief presentation including project examples.
| Publisher | DEZA |
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Latvia: The power of microcredit
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Publications (6)
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Results country programmes in EU-12 countries
Promoting renewable energy, creating employment and strengthening civil society: the final review of Switzerland's enlargement contribution summarises the results of the Swiss-backed projects.
Switzerland's contribution to the enlarged EU: 2018 Annual Report
Information on the results achieved in the last three remaining country programmes that are still under way, e.g. mine clearance in Croatia, the promotion of SMEs in Romania and decommissioned trams from Basel improving Bulgaria's public transport system. The report also briefly explains the background to the second Swiss contribution to selected EU member countries.
Swiss Enlargement Contribution: Annual Report 2017
The ten countries that joined the EU in 2004 have completed their projects under the enlargement contribu-tion. 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.
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.
Regional development in Poland
The economic situation in structurally weak regions has been improved through promoting tourism and marketing regional products.
The Swiss Enlargement Contribution
The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC and the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs present an interim balance sheet on the first five years since the approval of the Enlargement Contribution to the new 10 EU-Member States. The projects are to be implemented within another five year period, i.e., by 2017.
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