tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6398232680738279469.post6422245178574125128..comments2024-03-12T07:30:17.846-07:00Comments on The Tax Times: European Commission Pushes U.K., Germany to Renegotiate Terms of Swiss Tax DealsRonald A. Marini, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14304486100168506240noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6398232680738279469.post-7051712035636650822011-11-30T08:36:34.320-08:002011-11-30T08:36:34.320-08:00Swiss Give Muted Reaction to EU Demands for Renego...Swiss Give Muted Reaction to EU Demands for Renegotiation of Tax Deals <br /><br />Posted November 29, 2011, 1:35 P.M. ET <br /><br />GENEVA—Swiss officials and the country’s banking sector have given a muted reaction to the European Union’s claim that new bilateral tax agreements signed by Switzerland with EU member states Germany and the United Kingdom violate EU law and need to be renegotiated. <br />Mario Tuor, spokesman for the Swiss State Secretariat for International Financial Matters, said the Swiss government has received no official word from the EU, Germany, or the United Kingdom regarding the alleged violations. <br /><br />Tuor said there have been different comments from different EU offices about the new agreements, both positive and negative. <br />“Until now no official statement on the tax treaties has been made by the EU commission,” he added. “We will comment as soon as the official position of the EU is known.” <br /><br />Sindy Schmiegel, spokeswoman for the Swiss Bankers Association (SBA), said the group has taken note of reported comments from EU Tax Commissioner Algirdas Semeta regarding the agreements, but is “not aware where concretely he sees conflicts between the bilateral agreements and legal requirements on EU level.” <br /><br />In the view of the SBA, “the agreements concluded with Germany and the U.K. are well-negotiated compromises,” she added. “All involved parties extract advantages out of the agreements, but had to make concessions as well.” <br /><br />“The SBA therefore considers the agreements as balanced and does not see any room for renegotiations,” she declared.Ronald A. Marini, Esq.https://www.blogger.com/profile/14304486100168506240noreply@blogger.com