Brussels, 08/02/2011 (Agence Europe) - The EU and Switzerland agreed on Tuesday to give fresh drive to their partnership and to deepen bilateral relations, which are currently governed by some 120 sectoral agreements and arrangements, through a “comprehensive coordinated approach”. It is in the interests of both sides to give new impetus to their “already excellent” relations and “ensure better operation of our agreements with more stable and more solid bases”, said Commission President José Manuel Barroso after a meeting with President of the Swiss Confederation Micheline Calmy-Rey in Brussels on 8 February. The current network of bilateral agreements has become “complex and heavy to manage”. It is necessary, therefore, “to provide increased coherence and a comprehensive vision to our relations. That is why defining our relations on the institutional level is so important”, Barroso said. The EU is known to prefer the conclusion of framework agreements which build the acquis into all sectoral agreements already concluded. Member states would also like these agreements to be automatically adapted in future to take account of the constant changes to the acquis communautaire in order to safeguard the consistency of the internal market. This is something Switzerland refuses point blank. However, acceptance of the acquis could be offset with “appropriate Swiss involvement” in decisions in the areas covered by the agreements, Calmy-Rey said recently in Brussels (see EUROPE 10257). On Tuesday, the Swiss president defended the bilateral approach towards the EU, expressing the view that it had been generally “positive”. She also set out for Barroso the strategy approved by the Swiss Federal Council on 26 January calling for negotiations of a new package of bilateral agreements (“Bilaterals III”) in further areas. Speaking to press, Barroso made no direct comment on this suggestion but stressed the need first of all to settle the institutional side of future links with Switzerland. “We agree that there should be a comprehensive vision and greater coherence in our relations. How is this to be achieved? It is essential firstly to clarify the institutional issues as these are linked to the internal market”, Barroso said. Experts from both parties will continue their discussions and “bring forward practical proposals in the not too distant future”. Calmy-Rey also met European Council President Herman Van Rompuy and European Parliament President Jerzy Buzek. (H.B./transl.rt)