12 February 2015. Ever since the 1990s, pressure on banking secrecy has continually increased owing to political changes. These changes resulted in the first international initiatives for the improvement of cooperation in taxation issues. This first wave was still unable to compromise banking secrecy in a crucial manner. The initiatives of the second wave from 2008 have been crowned with more success and have finally led to the (partial) abolition of banking secrecy.

The lecture entitled "Swiss banking secrecy: from the 'Gnomes of Zurich' to the automatic exchange of information on taxation issues" is led by Prof. Dr. Patrick Emmenegger, Professor of Political Science. He will answer questions like: How has it happened that Switzerland has declared itself prepared – against its will – to abolish banking secrecy and to accept the automatic exchange of information on tax issues? What means and strategies have the OECD, the European Union and the United States of America applied in order to "crack" Swiss banking secrecy? And what possibility did Switzerland have, and does it still have, of turning the tide in its own favour?

The six lectures on Swiss banking secrecy will take place at the University of St.Gallen in room HSG 09-011. They will start on Thursdays at 8.15 p.m. Dates: 19 and 26 February; 5, 12, 19 and 26 March 2015.

Picture: Fotolia/Schlierner