Federal Council adopts dispatch on BEPS convention

Bern, 22.08.2018 - On 22 August 2018, the Federal Council adopted the dispatch on the multilateral convention to implement tax treaty related measures to prevent base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS). The dispatch was submitted to Parliament.

Switzerland signed the BEPS convention on 7 June 2017. The convention was approved by a majority in the subsequent consultation.

The BEPS convention will initially adjust the Swiss double taxation agreements (DTAs) with Argentina, Austria, Chile, the Czech Republic, Iceland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, Portugal, South Africa, and Turkey to the tax treaty related minimum standards defined within the framework of the BEPS project. These countries are prepared to agree with Switzerland on the precise wording of the DTAs to be adapted via the BEPS convention.

The tax treaty related BEPS minimum standards can be agreed by means of the BEPS convention or, alternatively, via bilateral DTA amendments. In this way, Switzerland has already incorporated these minimum standards into the DTAs with Brazil, Latvia, Kosovo, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, and Zambia. Further DTA revisions are ongoing.

The dispatch concerning a protocol of amendment to the DTA with the United Kingdom was also adopted by the Federal Council on 22 August 2018.

Address for enquiries

Anne Césard, Communications, State Secretariat for International Financial Matters SIF
Tel. +41 58 462 62 91, anne.cesard@sif.admin.ch