Athens, 11/02/2003 (Agence Europe) - The President of the Swiss Confederation, Pascal Couchepin, said, while on visit to Athens, that an agreement between Switzerland and the EU on savings tax could be found during the first half of this year. On the occasion of his twice-yearly visit to the EU Presidency, Pascal Couchepin was to meet European Council President, Costas Simitis, on Monday and, on Tuesday, Ecofin Council President Nicos Christodoulakis. The President of the Confederation recalled that Switzerland hopes the ten agreements being negotiated between the EU and Switzerland will be concluded in the context of a global package. Both parties must above all find compromises on combating fraud, Swiss integration in the Schengen Agreement (on abolition of border controls) and the Dublin Agreement (on processing of asylum requests), as well as on services.
A negotiating session on the Schengen/Dublin Agreements will be held on 14 February in Brussels. The question of dual criminal liability, or the definition of offences that will be the subject of judicial cooperation, is the main difficulty in negotiations on fraud and on Schengen. On 19 February, the officials in charge of negotiations on the Swiss and Commission side, Messr Ambühl and Westerland, will take stock of discussions.