Table 1 Consequences of the partial association to Horizon 2020 as experienced by Swiss TPH on the levels of funding, individual researcher and institution

1. Partners cutting ties with Swiss TPH

2. Missed opportunities—Swiss TPH is less frequently approached for collaboration

3. Deprioritizing Swiss TPH contribution—partners need to find an additional partner with first-country status leading to disproportionate large consortia and leaving the Swiss partner in a satellite position rather than as a valued full contributor

4. Uncertainties, rumours and misunderstandings by coordinating partners towards the eligibility of Swiss partners for different European Union instruments

5. More time is invested for (i) communication on the topic of Switzerland’s status as third country; and (ii) proposal development with partners for administrative tasks

6. Challenges to being consortium coordinator leading to loss of institutional credibility and visibility vis-à-vis the European Commission

7. Restrictions to Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Individual Fellowship applications

8. The Swiss budget being excluded from the indicative budget lines leads to misunderstanding by project partners to exceed the European Union’s recommended budget ceiling

9. Increasing anti-Swiss-attitude in the European research landscape