The Swiss-Polish Cooperation Programme is a non-refundable aid programme, established by the Government of the Swiss Confederation. Under the international agreement concluded in Bern on 20th December 2007, Switzerland has undertaken to transfer within it over 1 billion Swiss francs (CHF) to ten new European Union countries. In 2010, Bulgaria and Romania, and in 2013, Croatia also joint the Fund. Out of this sum, Poland has been granted almost half of the funds, i.e. approx. CHF 489 million (approx. 310 million euro).
The objective of Swiss aid is to stimulate the growth of the less developed regions of Europe, to contribute to the decrease of social and economic differences between Poland and the more developed countries of the expanded European Union, and also to equalise opportunity across regions.
The aid is distributed in the areas concerning i.a.: environment and infrastructure, regional development, health protection, scientific research, scholarships for scientists, support for non-governmental organisations and venture capital funds. Until 14th June 2012, when the deadline for undertaking obligations passed, the Polish and Swiss parties signed a total of 58 agreements at a total amount of the available allocation. Therefore, 100 percent of the funds intended for aid for Poland have been contracted.
Implementation of all the projects in the framework of the Swiss-Polish Cooperation Programme shall end before 14th June 2017.