EC/Switzerland agreement: administrative and judicial cooperation agreement with a view to counter financial fraud

PURPOSE: to provide a more effective legal basis for administrative and judicial cooperation with Switzerland against EC-fraud, including VAT and excise fraud and money laundering.

LEGISLATIVE ACT: Council Decision 2009/127/EC concerning the signature, on behalf of the European Community, of the Cooperation Agreement between the European Community and its Member States, of the one part, and the Swiss Confederation, of the other part, to combat fraud and any other illegal activity to the detriment of their financial interests.

CONTENT: this Decision approves the Cooperation Agreement between the EC and its Member States and the Swiss Confederation to combat fraud and any other illegal activity to the detriment of their financial interests.  The Agreement is designed to supplement the Agreement between the EU, the EC and the Swiss Confederation concerning the Swiss Confederation's association with the implementation, application, and development of the Schengen acquis.

In respect of matters falling within its competence, the Community is represented on the Joint Committee set up under the Agreement by the Commission.

The position to be taken by the Community in the course of the implementation of the Agreement as regards decisions or recommendations of the Joint Committee will be laid down by the Council, acting by qualified majority, on a proposal from the Commission. The Council must act unanimously when the position covers a field for which unanimity is required for the adoption of internal rules.