BERN Switzerland AP Four years of tough negotiations were concluded early Tuesday with a transport deal between the European Union and Switzerland clearing the way to a wider agreement covering areas like air transport and labor. The deal obliges the Swiss who long held out for environmental reasons to raise the weight limit on trucks to 40 tons from 28 tons by the year 2005. In return they will levy a tax of at least 325 Swiss francs dlrs 230 on trucks transiting through the Alpine nation. This will be used to help fund two rail tunnels intended to take the pressure off the roads. Switzerland is not a member of the 15-nation EU but is surrounded by members Germany France Italy and Austria. Its tight restrictions on foreign trucks have for years infuriated neighboring countries because of the inconvenience of compliance and the cost of detours. After an all-night bargaining session with Swiss Transport Minister Moritz Leuenberger EU ministers gave their blessing to the transport agreement early Tuesday. Under the compromise deal Switzerland is allowed to keep its controversial night-time ban. The Swiss government and business representatives hailed the agreement. Swiss Foreign Minister Flavio Cotti said he hoped that a wider package of bilateral agreements could now be wrapped up. In particular Switzerland hopes that its concessions on trucks will persuade the EU to give national flag carrier Swissair better access to European airports. The dossier is due to be discussed at a meeting of EU Foreign Ministers next Monday. However with the EU preoccupied with its own plans for monetary union and eastward expansion the Swiss dossier is low on the list of priorities. In 1992 Swiss voters rejected plans to join a loose European free trade agreement . This forced the government into painstaking sectoral negotiations with Brussels to gain the access it needs to crucial export markets. The government has officially applied to join the EU but has not pressed ahead with its request fearing that the electorate might once again say ``no.'' UR; cn-gm APW19981201.0070.txt.body.html APW19981201.1023.txt.body.html