14/07/2000 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission adopted, as planned, on Friday, a draft negotiating brief for the conclusion of an EU/Switzerland bilateral agreement on the fight against fraud which, according to its estimates, generates each year a loss of several billion euros for the EU (see EUROPE of 13 July, p.11, for more details). The draft, based on a joint initiative by European Budgets Commissioner Michaele Schreyer, External Relations Commissioner Chris Patten, and in agreement with Justice and Home Affairs Commissioner Antonio Vitorino, will be submitted to the Ecofin Council in the autumn.