Swiss Abroad

Monaco prepared to cooperate on tax

This content was published on Mar 14, 2009 The commitment comes as the tiny Mediterranean state seeks to be taken off the OECD list of uncooperative tax havens. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, a Paris-based think tank, had listed Monaco and fellow small European states Andorra and Liechtenstein as “uncooperative tax havens”, described as states that lack transparency, and refuse to…

Swiss Politics

Leuthard criticises OECD role in bank row

This content was published on Mar 14, 2009 Speaking on Swiss radio, Leuthard said the organisation had not informed Switzerland beforehand of the planned nomination to the black list, although it had let non-members know of the move in advance. Relaxing banking secrecy for foreign clients was the best path for Switzerland, Leuthard said, as the country could not have resisted the pressure…

Swiss Politics

Cautious welcome to banking secrecy move

This content was published on Mar 13, 2009 Facing possible sanctions by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the cabinet decided to conform with the body’s standards. Finance Minister Hans-Rudolf Merz made the announcement at a news conference. The present distinction between fiscal fraud and fiscal evasion is to become obsolete, allowing the exchange of information with other countries in individual…

Swiss Politics

Banking secrecy eased to obey OECD rules

This content was published on Mar 13, 2009 The cabinet decided to conform with standards set by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in an effort to avoid being put on a blacklist and facing possible sanctions. The present distinction between fiscal fraud and fiscal evasion is to become obsolete, allowing the exchange of information with other countries in individual cases…

Swiss Politics

Swiss to relax banking laws

This content was published on Mar 13, 2009 The decision will permit the exchange of customer information with other countries in individual cases where a specific and justified request has been made, a government statement said on Friday. “The cabinet acknowledges that the wish of the people of Switzerland for appropriate protection of personal privacy is still firmly entrenched,” it said. “For this…

Rights chief pushes Geneva anti-racism summit

This content was published on Mar 12, 2009 Navi Pillay made the remarks after a meeting in Bern with Swiss Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey on Thursday. Several countries are reportedly boycotting the conference amid concerns that Israel will be targeted over its occupation of Palestinian territories. These fears are unjustified, Pillay noted. She said the conference in Geneva in April would focus on…

Swiss Politics

Arms exports ban rejected in parliament

This content was published on Mar 12, 2009 A clear majority voted against the people’s initiative by the pacifist group, Switzerland Without an Army. The issue still has to be discussed by the Senate, before it comes to a nationwide vote at a later date. Opponents argued the ban would lead to 10,000 job cuts in the country and threatened the purchase of…

Swiss Politics

Parliament pardons Spanish Civil War fighters

This content was published on Mar 12, 2009 The Senate on Thursday unanimously followed the House of Representatives in lifting the convictions of those who served in a foreign army in the 1930s. Up to 800 Swiss-based volunteers, including a small number of women, joined Republican troops fighting against fascist rebels. More than 400 of them were handed jail sentences. Only a handful…

Swiss Politics

Senate agrees new credit to counter recession

This content was published on Mar 11, 2009 The SFr710 million ($615 million) package is destined for infrastructure projects in the transport sector as well as energy, environment research and tourism. Two days after animated late-night discussions in the House of Representatives, the bill won unanimous approval by the Senate. “We consider the packet drafted by the government as reasonable, pragmatic and well…

Swiss Politics

Swiss urged to aid Sino-Tibet dialogue

This content was published on Mar 10, 2009 Claude Levenson – a friend of the Dalai Lama and author of several books on Tibet – tells swissinfo that although Switzerland was among the first countries to welcome Tibetan refugees in the 1960s, its stance today is less bold. Levenson, who has been following the Tibetan situation for 25 years, says Switzerland needs to…

Swiss Abroad

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