Global Forum Publishes Ratings On Transparency

Access Leading Tax Experts And Technology
In Our Global Digital Marketplace

Written by William Byrnes | Posted in International

The Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes (the Global Forum) published the first 10 outcomes of a new and enhanced peer review process aimed at assessing compliance with international standards for the exchange of information on request between tax authorities.

The new round of peer reviews – launched in mid-2016 – follows a six-year process during which the Global Forum assessed the legal and regulatory framework for information exchange (Phase 1) as well as the actual practices and procedures (Phase 2) in 119 jurisdictions worldwide.

The Global Forum’s new peer review process combines the Phase 1 and Phase 2 elements into a single undertaking, with new focus on an assessment of the availability of and access by tax authorities to beneficial ownership information of all legal entities and arrangements, in line with the Financial Action Task Force international standard.

The Global Forum reviewed exchange of information practices through combined peer review reports in ten jurisdictions. Three jurisdictions – Ireland, Mauritius and Norway – received an overall rating of “Compliant.” Six others – Australia, Bermuda, Canada, Cayman Islands, Germany and Qatar were rated “Largely Compliant.” Jamaica was rated “Partially Compliant,” leading the Global Forum to launch a supplementary report on follow-up measures to ensure a higher level of compliance.

Global Forum members are working together to monitor and review implementation of the international standard for the automatic exchange of financial account information, under the Common Reporting Standard (CRS), which will start in September 2017. The monitoring and review process is intended to ensure the effective and timely delivery of commitments made, the confidentiality of information exchanged and to identify areas where support is needed.

The Global Forum is assisting developing country members to ensure that they can also receive the benefits of the ongoing global move to automatic exchange of financial account information.

William Byrnes

William H. Byrnes has achieved authoritative prominence with more than 20 books, treatise chapters and book supplements, 1,000 media articles, and the monthly subscriber Tax Facts Intelligence. Titles include: Lexis® Guide to FATCA Compliance, Foreign Tax and Trade Briefs, Practical Guide to U.S. Transfer Pricing, and Money Laundering, Asset Forfeiture; Recovery, and Compliance (a Global Guide). He is a principal author of the Tax Facts series. He was a Senior Manager, then Associate Director of international tax for Coopers and Lybrand, and practiced in Southern Africa, Western Europe, South East Asia, the Indian sub-continent, and the Caribbean. He has been commissioned by a number of governments on tax policy. Obtained the title of tenured law professor in 2005 at St. Thomas in Miami, and in 2008 the level of Associate Dean at Thomas Jefferson. William Byrnes pioneered online legal education in 1995, thereafter creating the first online LL.M. offered by an ABA accredited law school (International Taxation and Financial Services graduate program).