Switzerland demands more fairness from OECD
The government has called on the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) to treat Switzerland more fairly on international tax issues.
In a letter sent on Tuesday to Angel Gurría, the OECD secretary-general, Swiss President and Finance Minister Hans-Rudolf Merz demanded “fairness, transparency and equal terms”.
At the beginning of this month, the OECD placed Switzerland on a “grey” list of countries considered to only partially respect the body’s criteria in tax matters.
Merz’s letter contained a series of questions, asking Gurria to explain what criteria were to be applied to countries on the list, why certain G20 member countries with similar tax regimes were excluded, and for a definition of “tax havens”, among others.
The letter was also sent to the chairs of the G20.
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