28/02/2017 (Agence Europe) – On Tuesday 28 February, the Council of the EU adopted, without debate, its draft conclusions on relations with Switzerland. No change was made in relation to the version of the conclusions that was discussed in the Committee of Permanent Representatives (Coreper) on 22 February (see EUROPE 11733). These conclusions are an exercise that takes place every two years. The current version contains more positive messages than that of 2014 – a year marked by the Swiss referendum of 9 February on mass immigration. The Council nevertheless highlights the difficulties that persist between the two parties – especially on taxation and the failure of the reform on corporate taxation. There is also the problem posed by the negotiations on the institutional agreement, which are not making progress due to the differences in approach. (SP)