Five German-speaking finance ministers reaffirm common approach in the field of taxation, banking union and Greece

At their meeting in Salzburg, Pierre Gramegna, Austrian Finance Minister Hans Jörg Schelling, Liechtenstein Prime Minister and Finance Minister Adrian Hasler, the Swiss Finance Minister Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf and Germany’s Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble employed in particular with international tax policy, the fight against tax optimization models overlooking the BEPS Initiative the OECD, with the deepening of economic and monetary union and the european currently dominating topic Greece.

Given Germany’s Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble: “The global implementation of the OECD standard for the exchange of information on request is largely thanks to the work of the Global Forum successfully progressed to transparency and exchange of information for tax purposes must now be to maintain the momentum of this process maintains the. Target, fully enforce the standard around the world. With our partners Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg and Liechtenstein rises in practice the number of cases of exchange of information steadily. This is largely due to the increasingly close cooperation between our countries. “Federal Councillor Widmer-Schlumpf said from Switzerland, they appreciate the exchange within the framework of this meeting very much, not least because here both the EU Member States and third countries are represented. In connection with the debate on the European Union Bank, she pointed out that “Switzerland has early adopted strict regulatory guidelines relating to the systemically important banks”. She also emphasized that Switzerland “active in international bodies involved on tax issues in the drafting of standards,” it was important and that they are respected by all, “thus apply a level playing field”. “In a very open and constructive dialogue we were able to, among other things discuss the important issues of international corporate taxation and the automatic exchange of information. Liechtenstein takes on these matters its responsibility and is recognized as a reliable partner, “said Liechtenstein’s Prime Minister and Finance Minister Hasler. Finance Minister Pierre Gramegna also pointed to the constructive exchange of views with respect on the deepening of economic and monetary union towards, a topic that is in addition to the tax policy issues one of the priorities of the current Luxembourg Presidency of the European Union: “The recent developments in the global economy and in particular the situation in Greece show that such a recess necessary is. In this context, but also the social dimension of economic and monetary union should not be neglected in order to improve the lives of European citizens concrete. ”

“In all the issues raised was great openness and willingness to compromise. We all are ready to face future challenges together to solve”, the five German finance minister agreed. “I am delighted that we are this tradition, which was launched five years ago, can so successfully continue,” said host Schelling concluded. The meeting of the German finance minister took place this year in total for the seventh time, the second time in Austria , Next year, the Principality of Liechtenstein will host the meeting.