瑞士政府將制定一項特別法律,使它能避開法院的裁決,執行瑞士銀行(UBS)與美國國稅局達成的協議,把美國逃稅者的帳戶資料交給美國。
瑞士法院裁決這項協議無效。瑞士政府一直想要挽救協議,以解決美國指控UBS故意協助數千美國人對美國國稅局隱瞞收入的問題。
瑞士一家法院元月裁決,該協議違反瑞士法律。瑞士法律規定,逃稅(tax evasion)不是犯罪,稅務詐欺(tax fraud)才是犯罪。瑞士法院認為,有些瑞銀客戶對美國國稅局隱瞞收入,但尚未嚴重到構成稅務詐欺的程度。
為了克服這個障礙,瑞士政府打算把瑞銀協議修改成一項特別法律,交瑞士國會表決,使這項國際協議成為瑞士法律。瑞士政府希望為今後把涉嫌稅務詐欺和逃稅的瑞銀客戶的帳戶資料交給美國,制定法律根據。
瑞士政府將於3月底把法案交給瑞士國會,國會將在6月表決。瑞士政府認為,協議規定4450名瑞銀客戶帳戶資料交給美國的最後期限是8月底,國會的表決不會超過這個期限。瑞士迄今尚未把任何客戶資料交給美國。
然而,這項法律能否通過尚有疑問。瑞士最大政黨已經表示反對把瑞銀協議變成法律。但最近民調顯示,瑞士大多數民眾支持瑞士政府協助外國政府追查逃稅者。
瑞士是全世界最大的離岸金融中心(offshore center),掌握1兆8000億元的外國財富。瑞士銀行系統為客戶保守機密的政策,飽受美國和其他歐洲國家的抨擊,許多國家認為瑞士是逃稅者的避風港。
引用自聯合新聞網 原文網址:http://udn.com/NEWS/WORLD/WOR3/5443781.shtml
瑞傑理財補充:
Tax avoidance 中文可以翻譯成「避稅」或「節稅」,指的是用自己的優勢及合法的手段,儘可能減輕稅負。
Tax avoidance is the legal utilization of the tax regime to one’s own advantage, to reduce the amount of tax that is payable by means that are within the law.
Tax evasion 逃稅: 以非法的手段儘可能避免繳任何的稅金。
Ttax evasion is the general term for efforts to not pay taxes by illegal means.
Tax Fraud 稅務詐欺,似乎有點跟Tax evasion 逃稅難以區別,參考下文的說明,可以發現Tax Fraud 稅務詐欺是比較針對稅務單位以欺騙或隱瞞事實的方式,來達到少繳稅或不繳稅的目的。
As working residents of a country we are legally responsible for filling out a tax return every year when required, to determine the amount of tax we owe to the government. Although, a large percentage of Americans do take the effort to properly file their tax returns. A small percentage of individual try to cheat out of their tax obligation, committing a tax fraud.
You commit a tax fraud if you intentionally violate your own legal duty to voluntarily file income tax returns and/or pay the accurate amount of income, employment and excise taxes that you owe. By neglecting your legal duty you pose a threat to the tax administration and economy and will be charged with tax fraud by the Criminal Investigation (CI).
Tax Law Violations
If you violate the tax law by misrepresenting your income or fudging numbers to avoid paying taxes you most likely be committed by tax fraud. Some of the ways you can break the tax law and commit tax fraud include:
Claiming false deductions
Concealing or transferring assets or income
Knowingly changing your income
Over reporting the amount of deductions
Possessing two set of books
Recording personal expenses as business expenses
Using false amounts in books and records
參考資料來源: http://www.spamlaws.com/tax-fraud.html