(October 22, 2014)
On October 22, 2014 the Swiss Federal Council launched the consultation procedure on the Federal Act on the Unilateral Application of the OECD Standard on the Exchange of Information (GASI). According to the Swiss Government the law should allow Switzerland to swiftly amend its double taxation agreements (DTAs) which do not yet comply with the international standard for the exchange of information upon request. The consultation will last until February 5, 2015.
On February 19, 2014 the Swiss Federal Council instructed the Swiss Federal Department of Finance to draw up a corresponding draft. The bill for the GASI makes provision for the unilateral application of the provisions of Article 26 of the OECD Model Convention to all DTAs which are not yet in line with the aforementioned international standard.
For further information click here to be forwarded to the press release of the Swiss Federal Department of Finance as published on their website, which will open in a new window (in English).
In relation to this consultation the following documents were published on the website of the Swiss Federal Department of Finance (click on the language to be directly forwarded to the document of your choice as published on the website of the Swiss Ministry of Finance, which will open in a new window):
- Explanatory report (in German, French or Italian);
- Draft law (in German, French or Italian);
- Covering letter to the cantons (in German or French);
- Covering letter to the organizations and parties (in German or French);
- List of consultation participants (in German, French or Italian).
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