EU APPEAL TO BERNE FOR CROATIA.

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso has called for discussions to be launched "as soon as possible" between the EU and Berne to address the issue of the Swiss financial contribution to Croatia, which will join the EU on 1 July. He made the request in a letter sent to Swiss Confederation President Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf, on 21 December 2012, which was made public by the Swiss Foreign Ministry, on 10 January. The Commission president acted at the request of the European Council, which adopted conclusions on this matter on 20...