Swiss invited to informal tax meeting in Berlin
Switzerland has been invited to a meeting of finance ministers of industrialised countries aimed at combating tax fraud and so-called tax havens.
A senior German finance ministry official confirmed that the Swiss government as well as Austria and Luxembourg were asked to attend an informal conference of the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in Berlin in June.
Switzerland has come under international pressure, particularly by Germany and France, over its fiscal policy in the past few months.
The Swiss government in March agreed to ease banking secrecy rules and OECD standards.
However, Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey on Sunday rejected a proposal by the European Union to re-negotiate a bilateral accord on customs fraud approved in 2004.
It made more sense to adapt regulations through amendments in double taxation agreements, she told the SonntagsZeitung newspaper.
Switzerland has concluded such treaties with more than 70 countries.
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