Treaty Update: Switzerland - Italy

11/5/2012

On May 9, 2012, Switzerland and Italy agreed to commence negotiations, starting on May 24, 2012, to resolve financial and tax issues, including by revising the two countries' DTA.

Treaty Update: Switzerland - Turkey

10/5/2012

The Swiss government announced on May 8, 2012, that the pending DTA between Switzerland and Turkey has now entered into force.

Treaty Update: India - Switzerland

1/5/2012

India and Switzerland signed a Protocol to amend their DTA on April 20, 2012, the Indian government announced on April 30, 2012. The agreement contains terms on the exchange of information for tax matters.

Treaty Update: Sweden - Switzerland

23/4/2012

According to preliminary media reports, the Swedish parliament on April 18, 2012, ratified the pending DTA Protocol signed between Sweden and Switzerland.

Treaty Update: Sweden - Switzerland

1/3/2012

A draft Protocol to the DTA between Sweden and Switzerland was tabled before Swedish parliament on February 23, 2012. The amendment would introduce provisions for the exchange of tax information in accordance with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development standard.

Treaty Update: Argentina - Switzerland

9/2/2012

The Argentine government on January 31, 2012, published in its Official Bulletin its decision to terminate the DTA and accompanying Protocols signed and in force between Argentina and Switzerland.

Treaty Update: Ireland - Switzerland

30/1/2012

According to the Swiss federal government, Ireland and Switzerland signed a Protocol amending their existing DTA on January 26, 2012.

Treaty Update: United Arab Emirates - Switzerland

25/1/2012

According to preliminary media reports, the United Arab Emirates Cabinet on January 22, 2012, approved the pending DTA signed with Switzerland.

Treaty Update: Turkey - Switzerland

20/1/2012

According to preliminary media reports, Turkey has ratified the 2010 DTA signed with Switzerland, publishing it in the nation's Official Gazette.

Treaty Update: Switzerland - Taiwan

11/1/2012

According to a January 5 announcement by the Swiss Federal Department of Finance, the private double taxation agreement between Switzerland and Taiwan was published in the Federal Gazette on December 28, 2011, and entered into force on December 13, 2011.

Treaty Update: Switzerland - Uruguay

4/1/2012

The Swiss Federal Council has noted the entry into force of the pending DTA between Switzerland and Uruguay on December 28, 2011, following the exchange of notes to ratify the agreement.

Treaty Update: Switzerland - Various

4/1/2012

The Swiss Federal Council on December 28, 2011, announced that Protocols to DTAs with Japan and Greece entered into force on December 30, 2011, and December 27, 2011, respectively.

Treaty Update: Germany - Switzerland

3/1/2012

The revised DTA between Germany and Switzerland, amended to include OECD model provisions for the exchange of tax information, entered into force on December 21, 2011.

Treaty Update: Switzerland - Canada

22/12/2011

The Protocol to the Swiss-Canada DTA, signed on October 22, 2010, entered into force on December 19, 2011. The agreement contains provisions on the exchange of information in accordance with the international standard.

Treaty Update: Taiwan - Switzerland

19/12/2011

The Taiwanese government has noted the entry into force, on December 14, 2011, of the DTA signed between Taiwan and Switzerland.

Treaty Update: Czech Republic - Switzerland

12/12/2011

The Swiss government has announced that a revised DTA between Switzerland and the Czech Republic was initialled on December 8, 2011.

Treaty Update: Switzerland - Various

30/11/2011

Four comprehensive DTAs signed by Switzerland with Russia, Spain, Hong Kong, and the United Arab Emirates were approved by the Swiss government on November 23, 2011, and have been submitted to parliament for approval.

Treaty Update: Switzerland - Bulgaria

30/11/2011

Switzerland and Bulgaria initialled a DTA with tax information exchange provisions on November 28, 2011.

Treaty Update: Netherlands - Switzerland

9/11/2011

According to the Ministry of Finance of the Netherlands, a comprehensive DTA signed between the Netherlands and Switzerland entered into force on November 9, 2011. The DTA is based on OECD’s Model Agreement on the Exchange of Information on Tax Matters.

Treaty Update: Switzerland - Tajikistan

28/10/2011

Tajikistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on October 26, 2011, that all the necessary procedures had been completed to ratify the DTA and accompanying protocol for the exchange of tax information between Tajikistan and Switzerland, which was signed on June 23, 2010.

Treaty Update: Turkey - Switzerland

26/10/2011

According to preliminary media reports, Turkey's parliament adopted a law to ratify the pending DTA and accompanying protocol between Turkey and Switzerland on October 22, 2011.

Treaty Update: Switzerland - Poland

25/10/2011

The Swiss Federal Council has confirmed that an amending protocol to the DTA between Switzerland and Poland entered into force on October 17, 2011. The protocol adds tax information exchange provisions and sets new withholding tax rates.

Treaty Update: Romania - Switzerland

25/10/2011

According to preliminary media reports, the lower house of Romania's parliament, the Chamber of Deputies, on October 12 approved a law ratifying a protocol to the DTA signed between Romania and Switzerland.

Treaty Update: Switzerland - United Arab Emirates

11/10/2011

Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates on October 6, 2011, signed a comprehensive DTA. The agreement contains provisions for the exchange of tax information in accordance with the OECD model agreement.

Treaty Update: Switzerland - India

11/10/2011

The Swiss Federal Council has confirmed that the revised DTA between India and Switzerland to provide for tax information exchange upon request entered into force on October 10, 2011.

Treaty Update: Switzerland - Russia

28/9/2011

Switzerland and Russia on September 25, 2011, signed a Protocol amending the countries' DTA to include tax information exchange provisions and include exemptions from withholding tax on interest at source in certain conditions.

Treaty Update: Switzerland - Various

6/9/2011

The Swiss government announced on August 29, 2011, that five Protocols to existing DTAs, with the Republic of Korea, Romania, Sweden, Singapore and Slovakia, and one new DTA with Malta, have been submitted to parliament for ratification.

Treaty Update: Switzerland - Portugal

31/8/2011

The Swiss Federal Council has announced that Switzerland and Portugal have initialled a Protocol revising the existing DTA between the two countries to incorporate provisions for the exchange of tax information on request.

Treaty Update: Switzerland - Colombia

31/8/2011

The Swiss Federal Council has announced that Switzerland and Colombia have initialled a Protocol revising the existing DTA between the two countries to incorporate provisions for the exchange of tax information on request.

Treaty Update: Switzerland - Georgia

9/8/2011

The Swiss government announced on August 5, 2011, that the Double Tax Agreement signed between Switzerland and Georgia has entered into force. The agreement will be effective in Switzerland from January 1, 2012, and for fiscal years from 2012 onward.

Treaty Update: Switzerland - Georgia

8/8/2011

According to preliminary media reports, the DTA between Switzerland and Georgia entered into force on July 7, 2011.

Treaty Update: Romania - Switzerland

2/8/2011

According to preliminary media reports, a protocol to the 1993 DTA between Switzerland and Romania has been forwarded to the Romanian parliament for ratification following government approval on July 20, 2011.

Treaty Update: Switzerland - Spain

29/7/2011

Switzerland and Spain signed a protocol to their existing DTA on July 27, 2011. The Protocol reduces withholding tax on certain dividends and includes provisions on the exchange of information in line with international standards.

Treaty Update: Germany - Switzerland

22/7/2011

According to media reports, Germany and Switzerland have reached agreement on certain issues in relation to a planned tax treaty. It has been reported that the two jurisdictions intend to complete negotiations by the end of the summer.

Treaty Update: Netherlands - Switzerland

19/7/2011

The Netherlands ratified a protocol to the double taxation agreement with Switzerland on July 15, 2011, according to the nation's gazette.

Treaty Update: Colombia - Switzerland

15/7/2011

Colombia has notified the Swiss government that it has ratified the double tax agreement signed by the two countries on September 26, 2007. The treaty will apply from January 1, 2012.

Treaty Update: Switzerland - Italy

8/7/2011

According to media reports, Switzerland and Italy hope to begin talks on a new DTA.

Treaty Update: Switzerland - Peru

1/6/2011

Negotiations concluded and agreement initialed. Contents are currently confidential, but will be submitted to the Swiss cantons for comment soon.

Treaty Update: Switzerland - Russia

1/6/2011

Negotiations concluded on the revision of the existing DTA. The contents are currently confidential, but will be circulated to the cantons and relevant trade unions soon.

Treaty Update: Switzerland - Romania

1/6/2011

The treaty revises the existing treaty in the areas of income and wealth taxation. The DTA also provides for the exchange of information to internationally accepted standards. Dividends are are exempt from taxation where the payee has a meaningful stake of at least 25% of the capital of the distributing company, and where dividends are paid to pension funds. Interest witholding tax is limited to 5%. The DTA also provides a most favoured nation clause.

Treaty Update: Sweden - Switzerland

1/6/2011

The Protocol amends the 1965 agreement, which was also amended in 1992. The Protocol allows for the request of information held by banks. The Protocol also extends to Sweden the right to tax the Swedish penion payments of residents in Switzerland, and the right to tax capital gains on shares of Swiss residents who have previously lived in Sweden. The Protocol also limits dividend withholding tax to 10%, and reduces the interest tax to 0%. The Protocol also adds a most favoured nation clause.

Treaty Update: Switzerland - Singapore

1/6/2011

The DTA replaces the 1975 agreement, and contains provision for the exchange of information to internationally accepted standards. Dividends from investments of at least 10% of the capital of the distributing company are taxed at 5%, and dividends paid to the central banks of each state are exempt from withholding tax. Interest withholding tax remains at 5%, but central banks are exempt in future.

Treaty Update: Switzerland - Slovakia

1/6/2011

The DTA evises the previous treaty, and provides for the exchange of information to the OECD standard. Dividends paid from meaningful stakes (10%), and dividends paid to pension funds, the government and central banks of the states, are exempt from tax at source. Interest withholding tax is reduced from 10% to 5%. An arbitration clause was also added.

Treaty Update: Switzerland - Malta

1/6/2011

Negotiations concluded. The contents are currently confidential, and will be circulated to the cantons and industrial associations for comment. The previous DTA, signed in 2008, contains no provision for mutual assistance to the OECD standard.

Treaty Update: Malta - Switzerland

25/5/2011

Dividends are exempt from taxation in the case of associated companies with a minimum of 10% equity in the capital of the distrubiting company, where the investments have been held for at least a year. Under the same conditions, interest withholding tax is removed. The DTA also provides for a most favoured nation clause.