A Swiss program CORE was presented in Ukraine, within which grant funding is provided for the modernization of Ukrainian enterprises, export development, and support for business associations. The total budget of the program is 30 million Swiss francs, and its implementation is planned for five years.
The presentation took place on November 4 in Kyiv. Details of the program were reported on November 5 by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.
The CORE program (Competitiveness for Recovery Ukraine) provides co-investment grants for small and medium-sized enterprises for production modernization. First of all, companies that play an important role in production chains and can increase the competitiveness of entire sectors of the economy will be supported.
In addition to financing enterprises, the program is aimed at export development, integration of Ukrainian producers into European and international markets, as well as improving business conditions.
Not only individual enterprises but also business associations, industry unions, cluster initiatives, and regional development agencies will be able to receive support. A significant part of the program's resources is planned to be distributed in the form of grants among Ukrainian organizations and enterprises that will implement relevant projects.
The program also provides access of Ukrainian business to Swiss and international experts. Consulting support will concern, in particular, productivity improvement, enterprise development, and entering new markets.
A separate direction covers the improvement of labor policy, professional training of workers, labor safety, and management practices in accordance with the standards of the European Union and the International Labor Organization.
Conditions for receiving grants
Grant financing will be provided based on the results of competitive selections. According to the head of the CORE program Valerii Dobrovolskyi, consultations with business representatives, industry organizations, and potential applicants will be held before the announcement of competitions.
As of November 5, specific conditions for submitting applications, grant amounts for enterprises, and deadlines for specific competitions are not indicated in the government's message. Therefore, the presentation of the program does not mean automatic opening of application acceptance for all interested entrepreneurs.
The program is implemented by a consortium of international organizations Helvetas and NIRAS in cooperation with the International Labor Organization. Financing is provided by Switzerland through the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO).
The Swiss Federal Council approved the CORE budget back in September 2025. In January 2026, Ukraine and Switzerland signed a memorandum of cooperation, and in July the implementation of the program began.
CORE is part of broader long-term support for Ukraine. Switzerland plans to allocate 5 billion francs for the country's recovery by 2036, in particular 1.5 billion francs during 2025-2028.
Based on materials: Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, Helvetas, State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO)
