07 June 2013
The Chief Minister, Senator Ian Gorst, has written to the UK Prime Minister, signalling Jersey’s intention to sign the Multilateral Convention on Mutual Assistance on tax cooperation.
Chief Minister's letter
Further to my letter of the 20th May 2013, in which I referred to our shared commitment to the fight against tax evasion, we are continuing to make good progress in our negotiations with your Government on an agreement on enhanced tax information exchange.
We have also joined the pilot project, now embracing 17 EU Member States, that with the OECD is seeking to achieve a single international standard for automatic exchange of information.
Fully in line with Jersey’s commitment to tax cooperation based on international standards, we are asking HM Treasury to make the necessary arrangements for us to join the OECD/Council of Europe Multilateral Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters at the earliest possible date.
We will also continue to support the work of the Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes through our position as a vice chair of the Forum’s Peer Review Group.
Jersey is internationally recognised as a leader in the availability, accessibility and ability to exchange information on beneficial ownership. However, reflecting our known commitment to international standards, and to reinforce our existing strong record, we are willing to take further action as and when this is needed, following the adoption of new international standards that will have global application.
We will be offering to support the international organisations (G8, G20, OECD and EU) and individual jurisdictions in their own reviews of corporate transparency by providing technical advice and assistance on the Jersey ‘model’ for providing beneficial ownership information.
I look forward to the meeting on the 15 June to further our discussions and to play an active part in the Open for Growth event at Lancaster House.
Senator Ian Gorst
gov.je