The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development announced today that over the last two days Belgium had signed protocols to its tax conventions with Luxembourg, Singapore, San Marino, and the Seychelles as well as a tax convention with the Isle of Man and a tax information exchange agreement with Monaco. Welcoming the signings, OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurria said: *“Belgium has been very quick to implement the OECD standards on exchange of information. We commend the efforts undertaken by our Belgian colleagues under the leadership and drive of Finance Minister Didier Reynders”.*
Having crossed the threshold of 12 agreements on exchange of information for tax purposes, the OECD now considers Belgium to have substantially implemented the internationally agreed standard in this area. It has revised the [Progress Report](http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/50/0/42704399.pdf) published on 2 April 2009 in conjunction with the G20 with Belgium now shown as a *“Jurisdiction that has substantially implemented the internationally agreed tax standard.”*
Belgium withdrew its reservation to the OECD standard on exchange of information in March 2009, at that time reportedly writing to more than 100 countries to propose the conclusion of protocols to update Article 26 of its existing treaties or to enter into new exchange of information agreements. Mr. Gurría today encouraged other countries contacted by Belgium to respond quickly to the invitation to update the exchange of information provision of their bilateral arrangements. *“Belgium has swiftly translated a commitment into action and I encourage all countries to respond to Belgium with the same speed and efficiency.”*