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Merz Underlines Swiss Position On Tax Matters,
by Ulrika Lomas, Tax-News.com, Brussels
Monday, June 29, 2009
At a meeting of finance ministers in Berlin, which was attended by twenty
selected ministers of OECD and EU countries on the invitation of German Finance
Minister Peer Steinbrück and French Budget Minister Eric Woerth, Swiss
President Hans-Rudolf Merz reiterated Switzerland's position regarding international
cooperation in tax matters. He emphasised that Switzerland would rapidly follow
its words with deeds. Since the decision of the Federal Council to expand administrative
assistance in accordance with Article 26 of the OECD Model Tax Convention, Switzerland
has already renegotiated half a dozen double taxation agreements.
The meeting of finance ministers on the invitation of Ministers Steinbrück
and Woerth served to assess the status of implementation of the OECD standard
on the exchange of information in tax matters. In his speech, President Merz
referred to the different tax cultures in countries. He emphasised that Switzerland
is a reliable partner in the international context. He once again rejected as
untenable the allegation that Switzerland is a tax haven. President Merz reiterated
Switzerland's willingness to swiftly implement the decision of the Federal Council
of March 13, 2009, to withdraw its reservation to Article 26 of the OECD Model
Tax Convention and to provide administrative assistance in future upon request
in individual cases in all tax matters. Having signed six OECD model double
tax agreements prior to its pledge to conform to Article 26, Merz underlined
that there is ‘no reason to doubt Switzerland’s probity.'
At the meeting, President Merz called for equal treatment for all states and
market participants, i.e. a level playing field. He demanded that all countries
featured on the lists of the OECD and the G20 be treated on the same terms.
All financial centres should apply the same norms, and their implementation
should be reviewed in the same way. In this regard, he emphasised Switzerland's
demand for a transparent monitoring process based on objective and jointly-determined
criteria in the implementation of the exchange of information. The President
argued firmly against excluding the participation of OECD member states such
as Switzerland when compiling such lists in future.
In his statement, President Merz reiterated the importance of shared responsibility
for international cooperation in tax matters: namely of states where bank deposits
are held as well as of states where the owners of the capital live. President
Merz rejected all efforts to suppress cross-border capital flows using protectionist
measures.
“Switzerland wants to set a good example as a reliable partner and continue
to make rapid progress in the revision of DTAs,” underscored President
Merz.
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