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.

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.

Enlargement Contribution: Country Information Latvia

Boosting research in ten EU member states

NGO fund in twelve EU member states

Microcredit financing for micro enterprises and the self employed in Latvia

Swiss Enlargement Contribution: Annual Report 2017

Swiss Enlargement Contribution: Annual Report 2017

Swiss and Latvian choirs at the Swiss Embassy's residence before the final concert of the Song and Dance Festival in Mezaparks, Riga .

07.07.2018 – Local news
Members of choirs from Switzerland and from Latvia (terrachoralis.ch, koris.ch, sola.lv) have been visiting the Swiss Residence during the magnificent Song and Dance Festival in Riga. A spontaneous performance included Swiss and Latvian songs that were performed during their public concert on 02.07.2018.  

One billion well invested

05.06.2018 – Article
The ten countries that joined the EU in 2004 have completed their projects under the enlargement contribution. 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.

Opening of the Philip Morris Concept store in Riga

20.04.2018 – Local news
On the 20 April 2018 Ambassador Obolensky attended the opening of the first Philip Morris IQOS Concept store in Latvia. The opening ceremony was full of innovations and smart solutions, presented by international team of Philip Morris International (which has its headquarters in Switzerland).  

Consultation on a second Swiss contribution

28.03.2018 –
At its meeting on 28 March 2018, the Federal Council decided to initiate the consultation procedure on a second Swiss contribution to selected EU member states. With this contribution, Switzerland aims to continue to contribute to the reduction of economic and social disparities in the EU member states. Last year, the Federal Council set two priorities for this contribution: vocational education and training and migration.

10 years of contribution to the enlarged EU: efforts pay off

19.06.2017 – Press release

The 10-year implementation period for Switzerland’s enlargement contribution to the 10 central and eastern European countries that joined the EU in 2004 came to an end on 14 June 2017. Under the contribution, Parliament approved a total of CHF 1 billion to implement 210 projects which have helped reduce economic and social disparities among broad sections of the population living in the EU.

Sciex research programme comes to an end

28.09.2015 – Article

The closing ceremony of the Sciex scholarship programme was held on 25 September 2015. Thanks to this programme, more than 500 doctoral and post-doctoral students could visit Switzerland for a limited period to conduct and expand their research. 

State Secretary in the Baltic states

22.05.2015 – Article

State Secretary Marie-Gabrielle Ineichen-Fleisch travelled to the Baltic states from 18 to 22 May. Her itinerary included three projects that Switzerland is supporting through its enlargement contribution.

Federal Council opens consultation on the continuation of the Federal Act on Cooperation with the States of Eastern Europe

17.12.2014 – Press release
The Federal Council has opened the consultation on the continuation of the Federal Act on Cooperation with the States of Eastern Europe (Eastern Europe Cooperation Act). The current act is still valid until the end of May 2017. A timely prolongation should enable the seamless continuation of cooperation with the countries of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. The consultation will last until 31 March 2015.

1,000 microcredits – 2,000 ways of getting people out of unemployment

20.11.2014 – Article

On 16 October 2014 the Swiss ambassador and the chairman of the board of ALTUM (the State Joint Stock Company Latvian Development Financial Institution, previously Hipotēku Banka) paid a celebratory visit to the POGA kindergarten – the recipient of their 1,000th microcredit. The Swiss-Latvian microcredit programme makes it easier for small businesses and self-employed people to get access to loans. The programme has clearly outstripped its initial aim of making 650 credits available for the creation of 900 jobs.

4th Open Call under the Block Grant „Swiss Researchers Activities in Latvia” Open

23.01.2014 – Press release

Swiss researchers activities in Latvia

Swiss money for the future of Latvia

15.01.2014 – Press release

Support for Fire Safety Measures in Local Government General Education Institutions in Latvia

Microlending programme in Latvia exceeds its targets

07.11.2013 – Article
The unemployment ratio in Latvia rose dramatically as a result of the world’s economic and financial crises. The microlending programme makes it easier for micro enterprises and the self-employed to obtain business loans. The aim of the project was to award around 650 microcredits and thus create up to 900 new jobs. 2013 these targets are exceeded: Already 800 microcredits are allocated and approximately 2,000 jobs have been retained or created thanks to the microlending programme.

The Swiss contribution in brief

Information on Switzerland’s contribution to the enlarged EU: a brief presentation including project examples.

Latvia: The power of microcredit