Merkel prepares for Swiss ire over bank data

The German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, said on the 1 February 2010 that Germany will buy a list of alleged tax avoiders said to be hiding money in Switzerland - if it is a genuine one.

The prospect of a German crackdown on citizens with secret Swiss accounts comes after France obtained data stolen from a bank in Geneva in 2009 and the US government forced UBS to turn over records.

BBC News, 1.2.10: Germany will buy 'tax evaders' list if real http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8491552.stm

ESO: Background information: Berlin set to renew Swiss data crackdown http://www.europeansources.info/record/berlin-set-to-renew-swiss-data-crackdown/

Deutsche Welle, 2.2.10: German government frets over morality of paying tax informer http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,5201374,00.html

Spiegel Online International, 2.2.10: Berlin Risks Spat with Switzerland over Tax Evaders http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,675371,00.html

Swissinfo.ch, 1.2.10: Germany tempted by stolen bank data http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/politics/Germany_tempted_by_stolen_bank_data.html?cid=8213534

Swissinfo.ch, 4.2.10: Papers say data theft highlights Swiss weakness http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/Specials/Swiss_banking_secrecy_under_fire/News/Papers_say_data_theft_highlights_Swiss_weakness.html?cid=8231948

Spiegel Online International, 2.2.10: The State Shouldn't Have to Be a Crook to Catch Them http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,675631,00.html

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