Swiss Politics Archives - Page 956 of 1339

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Ambassador summoned over “unacceptable” remarks

This content was published on Mar 17, 2009 Peer Steinbrück had said that there were reasons to doubt promises by Switzerland and Austria to fully apply transparency standards prescribed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). He singled out conditions being set out for sharing customer data, which he said would “maintain banking secrecy in principle”. “In my opinion, these statements…

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Recession expected to worsen

This content was published on Mar 17, 2009 The State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (Seco) has adjusted its previous prediction that the gross domestic product would decline by 0.8 per cent, in a report released on Tuesday, but says there will be a 0.1 per cent recovery as of 2010. Unemployment, which rose to 3.4 per cent in February, is expected to increase…

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Bashir steps up defiance over Darfur aid

This content was published on Mar 16, 2009 His comments follow the expulsion of 16 large aid agencies from Darfur on March 4, an order that left the humanitarian community “in a state of shock”, according to an official from Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) Switzerland. Tension between Sudan and the international community grew after the International Criminal Court (ICC) earlier this month issued…

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Foreign minister wants European court reforms

This content was published on Mar 16, 2009 The reforms to the Strasbourg-based court will be part of the country’s focus on three core areas – protection of human rights, promotion of democracy and the rule of law – after Switzerland takes over leadership of the 47-member body. Switzerland’s tenure will run from November 18, 2009 to mid-May 2010, the foreign ministry said…

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Swiss receive confidence boost in London

This content was published on Mar 15, 2009 Merz, currently head of state under Switzerland’s revolving presidency, was boosted by the support of British Prime Minister Gordon Brown after meeting him in London on Saturday. “I put the question of this famous blacklist to Gordon Brown, and he told me that he shared my concern and that everything had to be done to…

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Merz secures British support from Brown

This content was published on Mar 14, 2009 The two leaders met at an informal meeting of the International Monetary and Finance Committee in London. Brown said that his government would support Switzerland’s stance. The world’s major industrialised nations, known as the Group of 20, or G20, are to examine a proposal to blacklist Switzerland and other countries at a meeting in London…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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