Brussels, 28/04/2014 (Agence Europe) - The G5 finance ministers (Italy, the United Kingdom, France, Spain and Germany) agreed in Paris on Monday 28 April to sign bilateral deals on the new OECD rules on the automatic exchange of bank information (AEI) at the Global Forum in Berlin on 28 and 29 October. The AEI rules are to come into force in 2017, using information gathered from 31 December 2015 onwards. Some 44 countries have joined the pilot scheme launched last year. The G5 called on all financial centres that have not yet done so, particularly Switzerland, to now join the early adopters' initiative. In doing so, they stressed that tackling tax evasion is a collective responsibility of all countries and financial centres should take the lead, consistent with their role and responsibilities in global economy. French Finance Minister Michel Sapin said that Switzerland could do more in this connection on a number of issues. He said the EU would be polite but very firm in its talks with the country, which is trying to wriggle out of application of the new OECD rules.
“Today we take another step to fight tax avoidance and evasion. We're working with key international partners to promote greater transparency and co-operation, and to reform the global rules. Alongside this, we are taking tough action domestically”, said British Finance Minister George Osborne. Italian Finance Minister Pier Carlo Padoan said that Italy fully supported the fight against tax evasion and was planning to make it one of the priorities for its holding of the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU, which begins on 1 July 2014. Spanish Finance Minister Luis De Guindos said it was important to tackle tax evasion in a context of intense pressure on countries' public finances and belt-tightening demanded of one and all. (EL)