The Swiss Federal Council has approved the revised double taxation agreements (DTAs) with the USA and with Finland. At the same time it authorised the Federal Department of Finance (FDF) and the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) to sign both of the DTAs in accordance with Art. 26 of the OECD Model Convention. After signing, the FDF will submit a dispatch to parliament, including the request for parliament to consider the issue of an optional referendum.
On 13 March 2009 the Federal Council agreed to extend administrative assistance in tax matters; since then, Switzerland has negotiated and initialled an extended administrative assistance clause in accordance with Article 26 of the OECD Model Convention in the DTAs with fourteen states. Initialled DTAs are regularly submitted to the Federal Council for the purposes of approval to be signed. Authorisation for signature of the revised DTA with Mexico from the Federal Council has already been issued. The DTAs with Denmark, Luxembourg, France, Norway, Austria and the UK have already been signed.
The Council advises that a report on the revised DTAs with the USA and Finland was also sent to the cantons and to business associations with an interest in the DTAs, and they were asked to provide their comments. They welcome the conclusion of both of the DTAs.