WORLD> Europe
Switzerland to summon German ambassador over banking secrecy criticism
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-03-17 11:28

GENEVA -- Switzerland will summon the German ambassador to Bern to protest "unacceptable" remarks made by Germany's financial minister over Swiss banking secrecy laws, local media reported on Monday.

Alex Berg, the German ambassador, would be summoned "as soon as possible," Swiss Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey was quoted by the official Swissinfo news website as saying.

German Finance Minister Peer Steinbruck on Saturday expressed doubt of Swiss promises to fully apply transparency standards prescribed by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Swissinfo said.

He singled out conditions set out for sharing customer data, which he said would "maintain banking secrecy in principle."

"In my opinion, these statements are unacceptable, as much for being contemptuous and aggressive, both in substance and in form," Calmy-Rey said during question time in parliament on Monday.

"I would have expected another reaction from Germany towards a partner like Switzerland, especially from a country that benefits from its relationship with Switzerland. Just think about migration, borders or even the trade balance," she added.

The German ambassador was last summoned in October when Steinbruck called for Switzerland to be blacklisted as an uncooperative tax haven by the OECD.

The Swiss government announced on Friday that it would cooperate on cases of international tax evasion, amid pressure by major powers to crack down on so-called tax havens.

It decided to conform with standards set by the OECD in an effort to avoid being put on a blacklist and facing possible sanctions.

The present distinction between fiscal fraud and fiscal evasion is to become obsolete, allowing the exchange of information with other countries in individual cases and based on legal requests.

Britain and France have reportedly welcomed the announcements of Switzerland, as well as Austria and Luxembourg, to ease banking secrecy.