The cooperation in space between Italy and Switzerland was discussed during an event organised at the House of Switzerland/Milano: Cooperation in space: Italy and Switzerland – present and future – Swiss House : Swiss House (swisshousemilano.it)

Italy and Switzerland are long standing partners in the space sector

In his intervention, Renato Krpoun, Director of the Swiss Space Office, recalled the current non-associated third country status for Switzerland in Horizon Europe. As a non-EU country, Switzerland has shown to be a reliable partner in Europe, in both space programmes of the European Space Agency (ESA) and of the European Union (UE). “This collaboration brings a win-win situation“, mentioning the atomic clocks as joint industrial contribution to the Galileo constellation. He expressed his great concern that “Swiss academia and industry cannot fully participate in several parts of the newest generation of EU programmes, both on the space and R&I domain, considered as a lose-lose situation for everyone. Switzerland wants to continue to provide unique capabilities in European with European partners”.

Giorgio Saccoccia, President of the Italian Space Agency (ASI), confirmed the strong cooperation in space between Italy and Switzerland. In order to remain competitive in Europe, he emphasised that “we need to stand united, not just in a geographical term, but also in the involvement of the full ecosystem of space”. Mr. Soccaccia recalled the important role of academia to form the next generation of experts in space who will be able to link research and the industry and to be technologically innovative. On the concerns about Switzerland’s non-association to EU programmes, Giorgio Saccoccia expressed the “support of Italy to facilitate your continuation as it was in the past in space activities within the EU programmes.”

You can listen to the whole conference on the website of the Swiss House Milano.