07/02/2003 (Agence Europe) - A "technical meeting" was held in Zurich between the European Commission and the Swiss authorities to try to reach agreement on the tax on savings, on the basis of a compromise defined by the EcoFin Council (see EUROPE of 23 January, p.7). The negotiators remained discreet as to the outcome of their meeting. Commissioner Frits Bolkestein will brief ministers on negotiations at the next EcoFin Council on 18 February. There needs to be agreement with Switzerland for the Fifteen to definitively adopt the fiscal package, for the March European Summit. The Swiss authorities, for their part, continue to insist that an agreement on tax be concluded at the same time as other ongoing negotiations between the EU and Switzerland.