Switzerland, a knowledge nation, is dependent on the EU research programmes. This is confirmed by a broad-based study presented today in Bern. scienceindustries, the Business Association Chemistry Pharma Life Sciences, has commissioned the study to assess the specific impact of limited access to Horizon Europe for Switzerland – thus creating a sound basis for the political debate on re-association.

Press release incl. downloads of the extended and the short version of the study. 

"Switzerland is one of the most innovative countries in the world. However, innovation doesn't flourish on a national go-it-alone basis, but rather requires international exchange," warns Stephan Mumenthaler, Director of scienceindustries. The study, which was carried out on behalf of scienceindustries, examined the added value that the research programmes of the European Union (EU) create for Switzerland and the effects of Switzerland’s limited participation between 2021 and 2024. For the first time, the study brings together perspectives from universities, start-ups and industrial companies. It shows that the benefits of full association are cross-sectoral and in the national interest.

The added value of the EU programmes is clear

The study makes abstract risks tangible. The authors Barbara Haering and Sandra Wirth interviewed numerous experts and evaluated international impact models. The result is clear: The EU research programmes bring tangible economic, scientific and social benefits for Switzerland. Although the transitional financing between 2021 and 2024 was able to cushion the short-term negative effects, it does not prevent the structural damage.

The RHOMOLO simulation, which is used in the EU to estimate the impact of policy measures, also shows that Horizon Europe can increase EU GDP by up to 0.17% (in 2020 terms), mainly through increased productivity thanks to higher investment in research and development. In doing so, it becomes clear that research investments have a stronger impact if they are pooled across borders rather than remain isolated nationally.

Limited participation weakens competitiveness

These macroeconomic simulations of the EU, the impact model on which the study is based and the estimates of Switzerland's State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (2019) emphasise that the negative effects of Switzerland’s limited participation in the EU programmes are impacting the competitiveness of the knowledge-based industry as a whole.

As a result of limited access, Switzerland not only lost individual projects, but also its strategic presence along the entire value chain – from research and innovation to market design and regulation. Its interests were less visible, less effective and less involved in the European sphere of science and innovation. And this at a time when global challenges such as climate change or security issues can no longer be solved in a national context. According to the study, young researchers, students and small and medium-sized enterprises in high-tech sectors were particularly handicapped. It is precisely these target groups of the EU programmes that are relevant for the future of Switzerland.

Erich Rütsche, Business Development IBM Research, provided a practical perspective at the media conference. He used concrete examples to underline the importance of open collaboration in European programmes for research and development: "Many years of experience show that collaboration in research programs at both European and Swiss level brings concrete positive results for science, business and also society. IBM in Rüschlikon, for example, has produced critical security technologies in the field of quantum-safe encryption, which form the backbone of the IT of the future."

Securing connections with future technologies and digitalisation

There is still planning and legal uncertainty for researchers and companies regarding the options for participating in EU programmes. This has a particularly negative impact on project submissions from companies.

Switzerland’s full association with the EU programmes is also relevant for Europe’s competitiveness – especially in times of increasing bloc formation and fiercer competition between Europe, Asia and the USA. The exclusion of Switzerland from key high-tech areas such as digitalisation and future technologies such as quantum, semiconductors, space and cyber will ultimately hinder both sides.

What’s needed now is political will

Fundamental innovations are based on long-term research and publicly funded developments. Research and innovation depend on stable framework conditions. The solution is on the table: An association with Horizon Europe is possible – and urgently needed. Switzerland must not miss this opportunity. This is not a technical detail, but a key decision for research, business and location policy. Time is of the essence. Stephan Mumenthaler, Director of scienceindustries, draws a clear conclusion: “The study makes it clear that the knowledge nation of Switzerland is challenged. We need a long-term, stable and well-regulated relationship with the European Union. The Bilaterals III offer a unique opportunity for Switzerland.”

Further information:
Stephan Mumenthaler, Director
Tel. 044 368 17 20,

Website:
https://scienceindustries.ch/

About scienceindustries:
scienceindustries, the Swiss Business Association Chemistry Pharma Life Sciences, works to ensure excellent international framework conditions for its around 250 member companies. The Chemistry Pharma Life Sciences industry employs some 80,000 people in Switzerland. As Switzerland's biggest export industry, it makes an important contribution to Swiss prosperity.

scienceindustries (with support of the SCS)
14.05.2025

April 24, 2025, 13:45-14:14h, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, 3012 Bern. The minutes are published in CHIMIA 5/2025 and on the website.

1. Welcome, Approval of the Agenda

During the lunch break of the SCS Spring Meeting, Christian Bochet, President, and David Spichiger, Executive Director, opened the assembly. The agenda was approved.

2. Election of the Vote Counter

At the beginning of the meeting, 36 SCS members were present and by the end of the meeting, about 60 participants attended the meeting. The assembly unanimously confirmed Yves Auberson and Richard Smith as vote counters.

3. Minutes from the 34th GA from June 7, 2024

The minutes were published in CHIMIA (2024, 78, No. 7-8, A569f).
The minutes were approved unanimously and without abstention.

4. Annual Report 2024

The annual report was published in CHIMIA (2025, 79, No. 1-2, A115ff). It was approved unanimously.

5. Financial Report 2024 and Audit Report

Operating incomes of CHF 1’775’237 and operating expenses of CHF -1’902’361 result in an operating loss before taxes of CHF -127’124. The portfolio at Bank von Graffenried followed the trend of the financial markets and contributed a surplus of +305’397. Considering taxes, non-periodic income, cost allocation to the funds and the building of 200’000 asset fluctuation buffer an operating loss of CHF -21’569 resulted.
The assets of all SCS funds increased by CHF +46’035.
As of 31.12.2024 the total assets summed up to CHF 4’944’562.
Audit Report: In report provided by BDO, no inconsistencies are mentioned, and the financial statement fulfills the legal requirements according to the SCS bylaws and the Swiss Civil law.
The assembly approved the financial statement 2024 and the audit report unanimously with no abstention.

6. Discharge the Organs of the Society

The assembly discharged the board members and the financial audit unanimously with six abstentions (board members).

7a. Elections: Executive Board (ExB), Board of Directors (BoD)

All members of the ExB and the BoD are elected at least until the General Assembly 2026. No elections took place.

7b. Elections: Financial Audit.

The assembly confirmed BDO AG, Bern unanimously as audit instance for the financials 2025.

8. Membership Fees

The annual membership fees 2026 were approved unanimously:

  • Regular member CHF    00
  • Student member CHF      00
  • Retired member / unemployed members CHF      00
  • Institutional member (institutions) CHF    00
  • SCS Partnership (institutions) CHF 3’000.00

Additional Fees for Divisions

Industrial & Applied Chemistry
- Regular          CHF        0.00
- Company       CHF    100.00

Photochemistry Section -
- Regular          CHF       0.00
- Student          CHF    20.00

15% discount on collective memberships for academic research groups.

9. News and Strategic Projects

The Board of Directors and the Head Office will focus on the following, strategic initiatives:

  • Review event portfolio
  • Finalize digitalization CHIMIA journals 1947-1989
  • Collaborate with Aprentas for non-formal education curricula
  • Replace SCS membership database and SCS business software
  • New SCS Head Office location as of fall 2025/beginning 2026
  • Personnel changes: Successors for Gillian Harvey, Catherine Housecroft and Hans Peter Lüthi
  • Prepare activities for the 125th anniversary of the SCS

10. Event Outlook 2025

  • In 2025, twenty-one conferences and symposia took place or will take place under the direct organization of the SCS. In addition, the SCS is an active partner of seven conferences or summer schools organized by third parties.
  • Under the auspices of the DFR four SCS Lectureship take place and a dozen of smaller, local, events will be organized.
  • The list of SCS events is available on https://scg.ch/events.

           Planned Events 2026

  • Swiss Snow Symposium, Saas-Almagell, Jan 15-17, 2026
  • 6th Swiss Industrial Chemistry Symposium, Basel, Jan 30, 2026
  • DMCCB Basel Symposium, Basel, Feb 5, 2026
  • CHanalysis (DAS), Beatenberg, Mar 18-19, 2026
  • SCS Spring Meeting, Fribourg, Apr 2026
  • Bürgenstock Conference, Brunnen, May 3-7, 2026
  • SCS Seminar on FlowChemistry, Fribourg, Jun 2026
  • Peptide Therapeutics Forum, Basel, Aug 2026
  • Summer School, Haute-Nendaz, Aug 16-20, 2026 (topic tbd)
  • SCS Fall Meeting, Bern, Aug 27-28, 2026
  • Summer School on Electrocatalysis, Aug 30-Sep 3, 2026
  • EFMC-ISMC 2026, Basel, 6.-10. Sep 2026
  • Swiss Chemistry Science Night, Bern, Sep 18, 2026
  • Ilmac Lausanne, Beaulieu Lausanne, 23.-24. Sep 2026
  • Zentralkurs Chemie, Gymer Lebermatt, Köniz, Oct 2026
  • Swiss Course on Medicinal Chemistry, Leysin, Oct 2026
  • SCS Syngenta Symposium, Stein, Oct 2026
  • SCS Seminar on Intellectual Property, Oct/Nov, 2026

11. Varia

No requests to speak were requested from the audience. The President thanked for the confidence and closed the meeting.

Bern, April 23, 2025

David Spichiger 
Executive Director

Prof. Christian Bochet        
President

David Spichiger, SCS
07.05.2025

The CHIMIA Editorial Board is looking for an Editor-in-Chief to replace Prof. Catherine Housecroft from 2027.

The Editor-in-Chief is responsible for planning the special topic issues on an annual basis, inviting and supporting Guest Editors and ensuring the scientific quality of the articles. He/she has the final say in whether to accept a submission. The Editor-in-Chief is also directly responsible for one issue a year that presents the work of the SCS major prizewinners, and for one issue every other year introducing young faculty in chemistry in Switzerland. The Editor-in-Chief is also responsible for handling the small number of spontaneous submissions of manuscripts to CHIMIA which may be considered for the ‘Notes’ section.

This role would suit someone who is well embedded in the Swiss chemistry community and is interested in scientific publishing and supporting the activities of the Swiss Chemical Society. The role takes an estimated 1-2 hour per week.

See https://www.chimia.ch/chimia/announcement/view/2 for more details or contact Catherine Housecroft () or David Spichiger ()

Gillian Harvey, CHIMIA and David Spichiger, SCS
04.05.2025

The CHIMIA Editorial Board is looking for a new Chairperson of the Editorial Board to replace Dr. Gillian Harvey from the beginning of 2026.

The Chairperson of the CHIMIA Editorial Board has a range of administrative duties and is involved in the strategic development of the journal. The administrative duties include running the Editorial Board meetings (3 p.a.), preparing the editorial programme for each issue, checking invoices from external service providers and supporting the technical editor.

The Chairperson is an ex officio member of the SCS Board of Directors and Executive Board where he/she represents the interests of CHIMIA and is also involved in all other Board business.

In addition, the Chairperson is involved in the strategic development of CHIMIA, most importantly collaboration with other diamond open access journals in Switzerland to ensure recognition of this publishing format and to secure sustainability and funding. This includes active participation in the newly formed association Diamond+ that was formed to fulfil these aims.

This role would suit someone from the Swiss chemistry community who is interested in open access publishing and supporting the activities of the Swiss Chemical Society. The role takes an estimated 1 day per month.

See https://www.chimia.ch/chimia/announcement/view/2 for more details or contact Gillian Harvey () or David Spichiger ().

Gillian Harvey, CHIMIA and David Spichiger, SCS
04.05.2025

Thanks to a generous grant from the SCNAT Platform Chemistry and the hard work of Martin Brändle, David Spichiger and Raphael Witwer, the complete archive of CHIMIA from 1947 to the present day has been digitalized and is now available on CHIMIA.ch (https://www.chimia.ch/chimia/issue/archive). The archive is open access and use of the search function will help you to locate subjects of interest and articles from well-known Swiss authors.

Take a look!

Gillian Harvey, CHIMIA and David Spichiger, SCS
04.05.2025

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