France stands by use of stolen bank data

Article reports that France said on the 20 december 2009 that it had committed no crime in using a stolen list of Swiss bank accounts to track French tax evaders as a row between Bern and Paris over banking secrecy intensified.

Switzerland has threatened to suspend ratification of a new bilateral tax treaty agreed with France in September 2009 over the decision by French fiscal authorities to use a list stolen from HSBC in Geneva by a former employee.

Swissinfo.ch: Swiss banking secrecy under fire http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/Specials/Swiss_banking_secrecy_under_fire/Index.html?cid=653772

France24, 21.12.09: France to return 'stolen' HSBC data to Switzerland http://www.france24.com/en/20091221-france-switzerland-geneva-hsbc-stolen-data?autoplay=

France24, 16.12.09: Taxation deal with France suspended over whistleblower spat http://www.france24.com/en/20091216-switzerland-suspends-french-tax-deal-whistleblower-spat-fraud-evasion-hsbc

Swissinfo.ch: News Digest, 17.12.09: Merz and the stolen tax data – saint or sinner? http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/index.html?cid=7921702

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