Summary

On 19 June 2026, the Federal Council revised the Ordinance on International Cooperation and Mobility (VIZMB) to strengthen the governance of the national agency Movetia. Movetia implements programmes on behalf of the Confederation and cantons to promote exchange and mobility in education and manages an annual budget of approximately 60 million francs. The changes come into force on 1 August 2026 and include a complete revision of the foundation statutes as well as a clear reorganisation of oversight and steering structures.

Persons

  • Chair of the Foundation Board of Movetia (to be elected by the Federal Council in future)

Topics

  • Education promotion and mobility
  • Corporate governance
  • Federalist cooperation (Confederation–cantons)
  • Switzerland's association with Erasmus+

Clarus Lead

The governance reform aims at a strict separation of strategic steering, operational management and independent oversight – a step that prepares Movetia for the planned association with the EU education programme Erasmus+ and fulfils the requirements of the Federal Principles for Corporate Governance. By withdrawing the three contracting authorities (SBFI, BAK, BSV) from the Foundation Board and replacing them with members external to the federal government, conflicts of interest are to be minimised and the agency's independence strengthened – a measure increasingly expected for funding programmes using public funds.

Detailed Summary

The revision of the VIZMB and the complete revision of the Movetia statutes form a two-track reform package. At the legal level, the ordinance is being adjusted; in parallel, the Foundation Board is undergoing an organisational realignment. The key point is the elimination of the conflict of interest: previously, the three federal offices that commission Movetia were simultaneously represented on the Foundation Board and thus exercised oversight over their own contractors. With the reform, members external to the federal government move onto the Foundation Board, who are to anchor Movetia in its various fields of activity (national and international programmes, all areas of education).

Political-strategic steering is being centralised: the Chair of the Foundation Board will in future be elected by the Federal Council on the proposal of the Foundation Board. Changes to statutes and important operating regulations will henceforth require the approval of the Federal Council – a control mechanism that secures the Confederation's sovereignty. The Conference of Cantonal Ministers of Education (EDK) remains represented on the Foundation Board and ensures the link to the cantons, which promote exchange and mobility at all levels of education and across language boundaries. The operational adjustments at Movetia itself complement these structural reforms at the management level.

Key Points

  • The Federal Council separates strategic steering from operational management and independent oversight by withdrawing the contracting authorities from the Foundation Board.
  • Movetia is positioned as an EU-accredited agency for Switzerland's participation in Erasmus+ and gains international operational capacity.
  • The reforms comply with the Federal Principles for Corporate Governance and minimise conflicts of interest in the management of 60 million francs in annual funding.

Critical Questions

  1. Evidence: What specific governance deficiencies or control gaps at Movetia led to the revision – or is the reform primarily based on preventive best-practice standards?

  2. Conflicts of Interest: To what extent does the election of the Chair of the Foundation Board by the Federal Council create new political influence that jeopardises independence?

  3. Causality: Is Switzerland's association with Erasmus+ already contractually assured, or is the governance reform a prerequisite for EU accreditation?

  4. Feasibility: How is the continuity of programme work ensured during the transition (until 1 August 2026) when the Foundation Board and statutes are completely revised?

  5. Roles: What specific oversight function does the Federal Council retain after the reform, and how does it differ from the steering function of the Foundation Board?

  6. Transparency: Will the new statutes and revised operating regulations be made publicly available, or are they subject to confidentiality?

Sources

Primary Source: Federal Council Press Release: Popular Vote of 14 June 2026 – Movetia Governance – 19.06.2026

Verification Status: ✓ 19.06.2026

This text was created with the support of an AI model. Editorial responsibility: clarus.news | Fact-checking: 19.06.2026