The agreement between Switzerland and the European Union (EU) on the automatic exchange of information (AEOI) in tax matters is helping to combat cross-border tax evasion. The agreement has been in force since 2017 and is applicable between Switzerland and all EU member states. It implements the global standard on AEOI of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

In 2004, Switzerland and the EU concluded a taxation of savings income agreement as part of the Bilaterals II agreements aiming at combating cross-border tax evasion. This was replaced by the agreement between Switzerland and the EU on the automatic exchange of financial account information in tax matters, which was signed on 27 May 2015. The new agreement implements the OECD global standard on AEOI, which Switzerland committed to in 2014. In this context, Switzerland and all of the EU member states have been collecting information on financial accounts since 2017, and have been exchanging this data since 2018.  By implementing the global AEOI standard, Switzerland and the EU are making an important contribution to the prevention of cross-border tax evasion and increasing tax transparency.

Chronology

Since 2018

• Information exchange on financial accounts as per AEOI Agreement

2017

• Entry into force of the AEOI Agreement (01.01.2017)

2016

• Approval by Parliament (17.06.2016)

2015

• Signing of the AEOI Agreement (amending protocol to the Taxation of Savings Income Agreement) (27.05.2015)

2005

• Entry into force of the Taxation of Savings Income Agreement (01.07.2005)

2004 

• Approval by Parliament (17.12.2004)
• Signing of the Taxation of Savings Income Agreement (in the framework of Bilateral Agreements II) (26.10.2004)