Measuring OECD Responses to Illicit Financial Flows from Developing Countries Report examines OECD's members progress in tackling money laundering and transnational financial crime. See also: Money laundering, bribery and tax evasion: how to freeze illicit flows The Guardian … [Read more...]
Inequality & Democracy
Party politics pierces City of London for first time in centuries
William Campbell-Taylor, an Anglican priest who featured heavily in the final chapter of Treasure Islands (except in the US edition,) has become the first political party candidate ever to win a seat on the common council of the City of London. That's a record that stretches back a thousand years, … [Read more...]
Swiss tax treaty policy thwarts new era of automatic information exchange
We recently wrote about a new double tax agreement (DTA) signed on March 20th with Argentina. This is the latest in a series of worrying DTAs that Switzerland has been signing with countries from the Global South, despite the OECD Global Forum’s explicit criticism of Switzerland for signing only … [Read more...]
Links Mar 21
Luxembourg Signs Up to EU Savings-Tax Agreement, Ending Deadlock Bloomberg Bettel: “With Austria, Luxembourg can go ahead and give the green light for the EU savings directive”. See also: Austria, Luxembourg Accept EU Bank-Secrecy Law The Wall Street Journal - Bloc Promises to Push Switzerland, … [Read more...]
Links Mar 20
Havens set deadline for reporting investors’ tax details Financial Times (paywall) The British Virgin Islands, Liechtenstein and Jersey are among 44 countries that have set a deadline of September 2017 for reporting investors’ tax details to their home governments, under pioneer plans aimed at … [Read more...]
Links Mar 19
US Virgin Islands Lures Businesses With Tax Breaks International Business Times "These generous tax breaks don’t render the Virgin Islands a corporate or offshore tax haven, like such well-known rivals as Bermuda or the Cayman Islands ... That’s because the Virgin Islands’ tax benefits are legally … [Read more...]
Guest blog: should Argentina sign a tax treaty with Switzerland?
Not long ago we published a Switzerland edition of our newsletter Tax Justice Focus, in which a contributor wrote: "Developing countries wanting OECD-type tax agreements with Switzerland risk being forced into tax concessions on Swiss foreign investments, in exchange for information sharing on tax … [Read more...]
New campaign: End Anonymous Companies
Links Mar 18
'Yanukovych Leaks' documents abuse of office DeutscheWelle Presidential residence owned by an Austrian company, which in turn was owned by a British firm, that was controlled by a trust in Liechtenstein. ' "If Yanukovych had run his country's affairs like he did his private life in Mezhyhirya, we … [Read more...]
Links Mar 14
Money laundering: Own up, owners The Economist Insight into the status and potential of beneficial ownership transparency, following this week's European Parliament vote "to back open registers for companies, trusts, foundations and practically any other corporate vehicle or legal arrangement that … [Read more...]
Quote of the day: inequality
From Shifting Grounds, our quote of the day: "New political eras begin when the ideas that define them are embraced by those most reluctant to accept their logic." The quote is about inequality - but it could just as well be about tax justice. … [Read more...]
Barclays: Behave!
Barclays bank has a long and not entirely honourable track record of involvement in Africa. … [Read more...]
Links Mar 11
European Parliament gives overwhelming ‘yes’ vote to end secret corporate ownership Eurodad See also: MEPs vote for public registers on company ownership European Voice - But, UK Prime Minister does not want the rules applied to trusts … [Read more...]
Global Witness wins TED prize; Skoll awards
Global Witness, the indefatigable investigators of corruption, tax havens and general monkey business, have been awarded two prestigious awards. They note: … [Read more...]
The Offshore Wrapper: A week in tax justice
Our weekly Offshore Wrapper, by George Turner The end of decency For years the attitude towards Russia from major offshore financial centres such as the City of London has been: “Give us your money, we don’t care where it comes from.” … [Read more...]
