Parliament has approved a SFr111 million ($103 million) credit for a European Union education and training programme.
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The Senate unanimously followed the House of Representatives on Tuesday to agree the contribution for the years 2011 to 2013.
The Youth in Action and Lifelong Learning programmes are aimed at encouraging exchanges of students, teachers and apprentices, as well as coordinating applications for grants and internships.
During the debate Interior Minister Didier Burkhalter said Swiss participation was crucially important for strategic reasons.
“Our participation in European research projects, which are part of a first set of bilateral treaties, has been a success story. It is very important to continue this policy and consider the situation in Europe,” he said.
Switzerland is not a member of the EU, but has signed more than 20 major bilateral accords with the 27-nation bloc.
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If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.