07/12/2018 (Agence Europe) – The European Commission has welcomed with some freshness the decision of the Swiss Federal Council, which on Friday, 7 December, launched a wide-ranging public debate on the draft institutional framework agreement with the Union. While indicating that it "respects" the choice of the Swiss Federal Council, the institution wished to recall that the final text was "approved by the European and Swiss negotiators and is the result of long, intense and constructive negotiations". This, before becoming threatening by mentioning the possibility of considering the "appropriate steps" regarding the decision of equivalence on the Swiss stock market. As a reminder, this agreement - a source of great tension between Bern and the EU (see EUROPE 12150) - must put an end to a relationship based on 120 bilateral agreements and give an overall framework to the bilateral relationship. (PH)