All implementation agreements signed, first projects launched
Article,
19.09.2023
Switzerland and Slovakia have signed the bilateral agreement on 19 September 2023 on the implementation of the second Swiss contribution to selected EU member states. Switzerland has thus signed the bilateral implementation agreements for the cohesion part with all partner countries of the second Swiss contribution. The implementation phase now follows.
State Secretary and Director of the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), Helene Budliger Artieda, and the Slovak State Secretary of the Ministry of Investment, Regional Development and Digitalisation, Barbora Lukáčová, signed the last remaining bilateral cohesion agreement of the second Swiss contribution in Bratislava. The necessary basis now exists with all 13 EU partner states to develop the agreed programmes in detail and implement them by the end of 2029.
The second Swiss contribution is an investment in security, stability and prosperity in Europe. It aims to strengthen cohesion, reduce economic and social disparities and support countries under migratory pressure. The programmes are implemented by SECO, the SDC and SEM. Through this second contribution, Switzerland can enhance bilateral relations not only with the individual partner countries, but with the EU as a whole.
Article,
30.06.2023
Switzerland is allocating CHF 1.302 billion towards projects under its Second Contribution to selected EU member states. The bulk of Switzerland's Second Contribution (CHF 1.102 billion) is earmarked for projects aimed at reducing economic and social disparities in the 13 states that have joined the EU since 2004. Of this amount, around CHF 400 million is reserved for projects in the field of environmental and climate protection for the benefit of Bulgaria, Croatia, Latvia, Poland, Romania, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia and Hungary.
For the approval and implementation of projects in the environmental and climate protection sector, SECO is looking for advisory experts with specific expertise in the following 5 areas for the period 2024-2029:
Water and wastewater management
Energy management in municipalities
Energy efficiency and renewable energies
Mobility, transport and urban planning
Remediation of contaminated sites and disposal of hazardous substances.
The backstopping services are to be procured in an open tendering procedure broken down into 5 thematic lots.
The tender will be published on simap.ch on 14 August 2023.
N.B.: The invitation to tender will be issued in accordance with the Public Procurement Act (PPA, SR 172.056.1). This means that there will be no communication between potential bidders and the contracting authority. Questions may be submitted in the forum on simap.ch during the tender.
