"Switzerland was promoted Friday to a 'white list' of countries that have signed up to international tax information exchange rules, taking a further step toward shedding its stigma as an uncooperative tax haven."

http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2009/...n_6930701.html

It remains to be seen whether the "stumbling block" mentioned in the last paragraph will indeed not materialise.

I think that there is a huge, massive danger that it will happen. The average Swiss voter sees this as an attack on Switzerland, I'm sure, and will want their government to show some spine.

Would anyone else agree?

At the end of the day, Switzerland is but a small country and is thus subjected to the vicissitudes of larger entities. One wonders if Swiss neutrality and independence is better secured under a fractured Europe.

What is "spine" is a matter to definition. I might expect of those in government some intelligence and some tactical capabilities

& now Peter Steinbrück (German Finance Minister) will lose his job due to the election - probably the urgency & publicity will fade away.
Additionally,
the US got their pound of flesh from UBS,
in the UK Gordon Brown has more pressing issues & probably has a short future anyway

Let's hope so anyway. I find myself coming to the conclusion that the US and the UK are losing credibility with each passing day, and this is a good thing. Both have allowed a lot of trash to pile up in their houses, which will take at least a decade to dispose of. In order for them to perform their chores, they will need to clip their own wings and cease their incesant aquisitiveness, which would be another positive both for themselves and the rest of the world.

With the present bunch of yes men and softie feel-gooders? You must be joking!!