Links Oct 12

Swiss edge further away from bank secrecy with new tax steps Reuters
See also: Tax fraud cooperation deal up for signature swissinfo, and Finally more tax transparency for developing countries Alliance Sud (In German). See the announcement from the Swiss federal administration here (Hat tip: Bruno Gurtner)

Colombia minister says tax haven 'party over' with 33 pct charge Reuters
Colombia blacklists Isle of Man, Jersey, Cayman, BVI, Mauritius, but oddly not Switzerland. 

Users Can Now Search By Country In The ICIJ Offshore Leaks Database ICIJ

French Senate Waves Through Anti-Tax Evasion Bill Tax-News

French lawmakers to move against Luxembourg-based Amazon Financial Secrecy Media Monitor

Double-Irish Dutch Sandwiches - France is pushing for a Europe-wide Google tax Quartz
See also: ‘Dutch sandwich’ grows as Google shifts €8.8bn to Bermuda Financial Times and IMF explains “Double Irish Dutch Sandwich” tax avoidance Finfacts

Germany can't wait for Europe on tax avoidance crackdown Reuters

Ireland's low corporation tax under threat from Germany Ireland Independent

IFF only Africa could stop the foul flows; How western firms cheat poor countries The Observer

Tanzania: Tax Exemptions to Undergo Review allAfrica

Experts accuse expatriates in Nigeria of tax fraud The Guardian Nigeria

New Corporate Tax Shelter: A Merger Abroad DealB%K
See also: How Congress Can Fix the Problem of Tax-Dodging Corporate Mergers Citizens for Tax Justice

Stop the Presses: Apple Has Not Been Cleared on Tax Avoidance Charges Citizens for Tax Justice

SocGen CEO says tax havens' days are numbered Reuters
"TJN Director John Christensen said the idea that the days of tax havens were over at this stage "remains entirely wishful thinking"."

The world's wealthy: where on earth are the richest 1%? The Guardian
"A new report from Credit Suisse is not your usual 'rich list'. Amid a record high for average global wealth its figures reveal striking inequalities – such as 35% of Russia's riches in the hands of 110 people."

UK record challenges link between corporate tax cuts and jobs Reuters

Pope signals start of new war on Vatican corruption The Independent

Raiffeisen Bank's former CEO Stepic investigated in tax case Reuters

The world needs a rocket tax to solve the “Gravity” space junk problem Quartz