The EU–Switzerland agreement strengthens the European space ecosystem

Preparing for increasingly frequent extreme weather requires countries to work together and make full use of the latest technologies. One example is an EUSPA proof-of-concept for Hydropower Flood Assessment developed by GECOSistema (Italy) and Gruner Stucky (Switzerland), which tested the use of Copernicus to predict the downstream effects of new dams in Switzerland during floods.

The importance of such solutions was highlighted by recent events, including the floods caused by storm Erminio in Greece in April 2026, which led to the activation of the Copernicus Emergency Management Service. As hydroelectric power remains an important source of renewable energy, understanding flood risks is crucial for the design and resilience of critical infrastructure.

Building on projects such as these, the agreement marks a concrete milestone for EUSPA and European-Swiss cooperation in space. It also follows Switzerland confederation's association to programmes such as Horizon Europe, further strengthening its role in Europe's research and innovation ecosystem.

Swiss innovation powered by EU Space

Several Swiss companies have already demonstrated how EU Space services can be transformed into practical solutions that benefit citizens, spanning industries and sectors from transport to healthcare.

Starting with Swiss Federal Railways SBB, Switzerland became a real-world testing ground for satellite-based train localisation. The EU-funded STARS project laid the groundwork for using European satellite navigation in safety-critical railway applications. Its successor, CLUG, took the technology onto operational trains, testing a Train Localisation On-Board Unit that combined satellite signals with EGNOS, inertial sensors and train speed data. The system was tested in Switzerland’s mountains, valleys and tunnels, where satellite signals are often weakest. CLUG 2.0 then focused on how the technology could work with Europe’s rail signalling system, bringing satellite-based localisation a step closer to the reliable, fail-safe operation.

Healthcare is another sector on the Swiss track with Zurich-based Resmonics helping asthma patients use European space data. The start-up has developed an AI system that detects respiratory symptoms through acoustic monitoring, with a focus on coughing. Initially, this was developed for patients with conditions such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Diseases like asthma, however, don’t exist in isolation. Air pollution, pollen levels, humidity and temperature can affect patients’ symptoms, which is where Copernicus data can help. The company is evaluating the use of Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service datasets that track humidity, temperature, pollen concentration and particulate matter. Resmonics then aims at integrating these data into its acoustic scans to better understand symptoms in patients.

Swiss organisations are also contributing to innovation in environmental monitoring and EO through collaborative EU Space projects.

The COREGAL project built a fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that was used to map forests in Brazil, a key technology for forest management. A special receiver connected to the Galileo constellation was developed and is used for positioning and estimating the biomass below the UAV. One of the companies involved was the Swiss company GAMMA Remote Sensing, which worked together with a number of Brazilian and other European partners.

Because of the new agreement, Swiss companies can participate in EUSPA procurements linked to Galileo and EGNOS. This creates new opportunities for innovation, industrial cooperation and the development of space-based services across Europe.

For users, closer cooperation helps expand the ecosystem of organisations developing new Galileo and EGNOS applications, accelerating innovation in areas ranging from healthcare and environmental monitoring to transport and critical infrastructure.

In addition, Swiss citizens are already able to apply for jobs at EUSPA and serve as seconded national experts, making it easier to exchange expertise and strengthen collaboration.

As Switzerland's participation in the EU Space Programme expands, the agreement lays the foundations for a more integrated European space ecosystem, creating new opportunities for citizens, industry and public authorities alike.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the EUSPA website.