Blair Seeks To Reassure Jersey Over EU Savings Tax Directive

by Jason Gorringe, Tax-News.com, London

18 June 2002

UK Prime Minister, Tony Blair sought to reassure Jersey following the recent dispute over the EU savings tax directive that the government will continue to protect the Channel Island jurisdiction's interests with regard to tax and other matters.

The Jersey Evening Post revealed at the weekend that Mr Blair spoke to Senator Pierre Horsfall, President of the Policy and Resources Committee for 15 minutes in private, a meeting which Senator Harsfall described as 'invaluable'.

'It will stand Jersey in good stead in a number of ways,' he told the local media,' adding that: 'It went better than we could have hoped for.'

The JEP reported that, following Friday's meeting of political leaders from England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man, Mr Blair stressed that the UK government's stance on the issue of banking secrecy was not intended to shine the spotlight on Jersey in particular, but was aimed at ensuring a level playing field on the issue within Europe.

'Of course, in the end, Jersey has its own rights in this situation, and we will, of course, protect them. We are not trying to affect tax rates,' the Prime Minister told a news conference.

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