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Switzerland is a neutral country in the center of Europe, known worldwide for its developed offshore banking sector and the strongest bank secrecy security. But is this the case in reality? How will Swiss banking secrecy evolve into the future?
Although the banking sector is one of Switzerland's main and biggest advantages, even the country with the most developed banking infrastructure and characterized by respect for banking secrecy is not able to face international pressure in the long term and is forced to accede to agreements on the exchange of banking information.
In 2013, the affairs of leading American companies such as Google, Starbucks and Apple, which were able to improve their tax situation with the help of an international network of companies, led to an active fight against tax havens and the breaking of bank secrecy. Luxembourg was the first to commit to sharing information about foreign clients' accounts in the country, followed by Switzerland, which decided to provide information to foreign financial authorities in certain cases.
The FATCA package of regulations was already approved in the United States and came into effect on 1st July 2014. Under these regulations, the United States will require information on all foreign bank accounts held for US citizens or companies. Switzerland agreed to these rules in relation to the United States under the threat of sanctions, but it meant the outflow of many clients to more suitable locations.
Currently, an agreement has been established within the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) on the exchange of information on financial accounts as well as other sensitive data, including information on interest, dividends or the performance of certain types of insurance products.
Swiss companies pay federal, cantonal and municipal taxes, which in total vary between 11% and 24% depending on the location. The canton of Zug offers the lowest taxation. At least one of the directors must be a Swiss resident, the shareholder/s can be both natural and legal persons from any country. All companies must keep accounts and file tax returns.
Companies requiring an uncompromising image choose Switzerland as their headquarters. In practice, Switzerland is most often used by holding companies or companies doing business in areas with high added value