Federal Council adopts dispatches on double taxation agreements with Estonia, Ghana, Iceland, Uzbekistan and Cyprus

Bern, 12.11.2014 - Today, the Federal Council adopted the dispatches on five double taxation agreements (DTAs), which will now be submitted to parliament for approval. The agreements with Estonia, Ghana, Iceland and Uzbekistan replace or revise the currently valid agreements Switzerland has with these countries. Switzerland has concluded its first ever DTA with Cyprus. All of the agreements contain administrative assistance provisions in accordance with the internationally applicable standard.

Aside from an OECD administrative assistance clause, the agreements with Estonia and Iceland provide for further amendments to the currently valid DTA. The new double taxation agreement with Cyprus contains provisions which largely implement Switzerland's agreements policy in this area.

The cantons and the business associations concerned have welcomed the conclusion of the five DTAs. The agreement with Estonia was signed on 25 August 2014, and the agreements with Ghana, Uzbekistan, Iceland and Cyprus were signed on 22 May 2014, 1 July 2014, 10 July 2014 and 25 July 2012 respectively.