The latest attempt by the US to bully Switzerland into compliance has stalled. The new agreement put forward at the end of May has been frozen.

"Le règlement du conflit fiscal des banques suisses avec les Etats-Unis se complique. Le National a décidé mercredi par 100 voix contre 90 de geler l'examen de la loi urgente proposée par le Conseil fédéral tant que le Parlement ne sera pas informé du contenu du programme offert par Washington pour abandonner sa chasse aux établissements ayant encouragé la fraude fiscale."

From Google Translate:
"The settlement of the tax dispute Swiss banks with the United States is complicated. National decided Wednesday by 100 votes against 90 to freeze the urgent review of the law proposed by the Federal Council until Parliament will not be informed of program content offered by Washington to abandon its hunt institutions have encouraged tax evasion. "

I must get a list of the 90 who voted yes, to keep in mind at the next election.

To vote for them or to avoid voting for them...?

Thanks 3 Wishes. My translation package came up with a worse one than that so I didn't think it was worth posting.

I think the last bit should read more like "... until Parliament will be/has been informed of program content ..." as the lack of any details about this was a major concern with most of the parties. How can the US expect another government to approve an agreement when they haven't laid out what all the processes are going to be? We want you to vote this through and then we'll tell you how we're going to deal with your financial institutions. Any government who approved such an agreement should be voted out of office at the first opportunity.

No problem. Honestly this tactic reminds me of when the U.S. Congress passed the mammoth healthcare bill. Wasn't Pelosi quoted as saying "We have to pass it to see what's in it" or something like that?

I'm beginning to feel like a refugee who is being unfairly persecuted by the United States. Can an American/Swiss living in Switzerland ask for asylum yet?

Just dump the US, you'll feel a whole lot better!

Tom

Well, we all know how badly some US laws are laid out, so the mentality of passing a bill without knowing exactly what it's going to do doesn't surprise me now.

Article from The Local (on the ball for once) with more info:

http://www.thelocal.ch/20130605/mps-...x-evasion-deal

I also found this on SwissInfo which has some interesting insights into the problem:

http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/business...l?cid=36053720

http://www.privatsphaere-schuetzen.c...atsphaere.html

Here is the direct link:

http://www.privatsphaere-schuetzen.c...tenbogen-d.pdf

Print, sign and send

Thanks, SwissPinoy. The first link is taking me to my EF Profile page though. I found the website by taking the first part of the link. The second one for the form is okay.

More info from last night:

http://www.bluewin.ch/fr/index.php/1...ws/suisse/sda/

Cool, thanks for noticing that.

It's still hanging in the balance:

http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/business...l?cid=36187016

I love the comment that they want the government to make a decision without Parliament. I thought Parliament was part of the government! Swiss politics.

So if the Senate says yes, it is given the go-ahead even though Parliament said no?

AFAIK it's the same in many countries. Certainly in the UK parliament is separate from the government.

Yes, but I can't see the UK Parliament demanding that the PM and Cabinet make the decision without them. There'd be an uproar if they did, especially as it's a law we're talking about. If the UK Parliament doesn't give it's approval it ain't happening, no matter what the PM, Cabinet or House of Lords even, want.

I am quite glad the parliament had the balls to say no to the us, to cowards like eveline widmer schlumpf and her like.

As a result of this, I am more convinced that the FATCA agreement that was signed in february will get equally struck down.

This from the chicago tribune...

http://www.chicagotribune.com/busine...,3491695.story

If they do, it'll only give more ammo to those who want a referendum on the whole subject. When the US stops being a tax haven, it can accuse others. Until then, it's just being hypocritical and a bully. But then we've known that for years.

If they do sue all the banks...the governement needs to countersue in the WTO