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Switzerland Scales Back Banking Secrecy
Under threat of getting added to a list of uncooperative tax havens, Switzerland is scaling back its banking secrecy. This is the result of an agreement with the Organisation for Economic cooperation and Development (OECD), along with Liechtenstein, Austria, Luxembourg, and Andorra.
The big change for Switzerland is in agreeing to help other countries pursue tax-evasion cases; tax evasion is not a criminal offense in Switzerland, though tax fraud is.
Jason Bourne's account will still be safe from casually prying eyes, however.
However, while it will now abide by international rules on bank data sharing, it said it would only respond to "concrete and justified" requests.
The government added that it would still protect banking customers from "unjustified watching from abroad".
The Swiss government said in a statement that any exchange of banking information with other countries would be done on a "case by case" basis.
Switzerland was "maintaining banking secrecy and resolutely refused all automatic transmission of information", it said.
"The private sphere of clients is still protected from unjustified watching from abroad," it added.
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (3)
at 19:59 on March 13th, 2009
Apparently, UBS was heavily fined by the US Treasury for violating a number of tax issues.
Good story, Jordan.
at 05:22 on March 14th, 2009
"UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the changes were "the beginning of the end of tax havens".
"Tax evasion, which costs the global economy billions of pounds each year, will become more difficult in future."
The Swiss government said in a statement that any exchange of banking information with other countries would be done on a "case by case" basis.
Switzerland was "maintaining banking secrecy and resolutely refused all automatic transmission of information", it said.
"The private sphere of clients is still protected from unjustified watching from abroad," it added."
I explained in comments and articles on the Internet that buying banks and part ownership was nothing about solving the global financial problem, it was not really a bail out but a plan riding riding on the problem of the meltdown.
Its all about Tax evasion and to cut the strings of the industrial and financial puppet masters a swing of elitism from industry and finance to the politicians. Big brother took a big step in a power game.
Switzerland can no longer hide electronic transfers that give proof of hanky panky as with any of shore bank haven.
Your tax money paid for the elitist change and there are many capitalist worried about this present situation its not only the transaction from the day the banks where nationalized but the records in their archives, it gives the politicians so much fire power.
The worms have turned, now we will start to see some fun and big money coming back from the public investment in the banking system. no wonder many banks did not want to take the bailout route but where forced to. Yep the elite have to pay the correct taxes and that means much more lolly in the treasury cash pot.
You beat me to this story Jordon it give a lot proof to my prior analysis and I would say my opinion is getting nearer to the truth. There will be more proof on how this meltdown was planned as a move in the Global Chess game.
at 05:31 on March 14th, 2009
The government added that it would still protect banking customers from "unjustified watching from abroad".
They have to the transfers at the other end are open to audit now by the government that are part owners of the banks.