Switzerland: EU halts Switzerland research and education ( euro 1.8bn) grant talks following anti-immigrant vote

The EU has suspended talks with Switzerland over its participation in EU research and education programmes because of the Swiss vote last week to curb immigration. 

Switzerland's access to millions of euros of EU funding is now at risk.

A European Commission spokesman said the Horizon 2020 research programme and Erasmus+ student exchanges were linked to freedom of movement.

Switzerland has blocked free access to its employment market for Croatians.

Switzerland is not in the EU but more than half of its exports go to the 28-nation bloc and it has adopted large sections of EU policy.

Horizon 2020 will provide nearly 80bn euros ($110bn) over seven years for research projects in the EU.

In the current programme Swiss participants have received more than 1.8bn euros in research grants. The first new grants are to be decided later this year.

Erasmus+ has a budget of 14.7bn euros and enables more than four million young Europeans to study and get work experience abroad.

Read more:  BBC News - EU halts Switzerland research and education talks