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Article 26 of the OECD Model Tax Convention provides the most widely accepted legal basis for bilateral exchange of information for tax purposes. More than 3,000 bilateral treaties are based on the Model Convention.

Article 26 creates an obligation to exchange information that is foreseeably relevant to the correct application of a tax convention as well as for purposes of the administration and enforcement of domestic tax laws of the contracting states. Countries are not at liberty to engage in “fishing expeditions” or to request information that is unlikely to be relevant to the tax affairs of a given taxpayer. In formulating their requests, the requesting state should demonstrate the foreseeable relevance of the requested information. In addition, the requesting state should also have pursued all domestic means to access the requested information except those that would give rise to disproportionate difficulties.

Article 26 was updated in July 2005, at which time paragraphs 4 and 5 were added. These paragraphs make it clear that a state cannot refuse a request for information solely because it has no domestic tax interest in the information (paragraph 4) or solely because it is held by a bank or other financial institution (paragraph 5). Bank secrecy is not incompatible with the requirements of Article 26, and virtually all countries have bank secrecy or confidentiality rules. Meeting the standard of Article 26 requires only limited exceptions to bank secrecy rules and would not undermine the confidence of citizens in the protection of their privacy.

Finally, where information is exchanged it is subject to strict confidentiality rules. It is expressly provided in Article 26 that information communicated shall be treated as secret and that it can only be used for the purposes provided for in the convention.

The current edition of the OECD Model Tax Convention, updated on 17 July 2008, indicates that Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg and Switzerland have entered reservations to Article 26. However, in March 2009 each of these countries notified the OECD that they were withdrawing their reservation to Article 26. These developments will be reflected in the next update of the Model Tax Convention, due to be released in 2010.

Text of Article 26:

OECD MODEL TAX CONVENTION ON INCOME AND CAPITAL

Article 26

EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION

1. The competent authorities of the Contracting States shall exchange such information as is foreseeably relevant for carrying out the provisions of this Convention or to the administration or enforcement of the domestic laws concerning taxes of every kind and description imposed on behalf of the Contracting States, or of their political subdivisions or local authorities, insofar as the taxation thereunder is not contrary to the Convention. The exchange of information is not restricted by Articles 1 and 2.

2. Any information received under paragraph 1 by a Contracting State shall be treated as secret in the same manner as information obtained under the domestic laws of that State and shall be disclosed only to persons or authorities (including courts and administrative bodies) concerned with the assessment or collection of, the enforcement or prosecution in respect of, the determination of appeals in relation to the taxes referred to in paragraph 1, or the oversight of the above. Such persons or authorities shall use the information only for such purposes. They may disclose the information in public court proceedings or in judicial decisions.

3. In no case shall the provisions of paragraphs 1 and 2 be construed so as to impose on a Contracting State the obligation:
 a) to carry out administrative measures at variance with the laws and administrative practice of that or of the other Contracting State;
 b) to supply information which is not obtainable under the laws or in the normal course of the administration of that or of the other Contracting State;
 c) to supply information which would disclose any trade, business, industrial, commercial or professional secret or trade process, or information the disclosure of which would be contrary to public policy (ordre public). 

4. If information is requested by a Contracting State in accordance with this Article, the other Contracting State shall use its information gathering measures to obtain the requested information, even though that other State may not need such information for its own tax purposes. The obligation contained in the preceding sentence is subject to the limitations of paragraph 3 but in no case shall such limitations be construed to permit a Contracting State to decline to supply information solely because it has no domestic interest in such information. 

5. In no case shall the provisions of paragraph 3 be construed to permit a Contracting State to decline to supply information solely because the information is held by a bank, other financial institution, nominee or person acting in an agency or a fiduciary capacity or because it relates to ownership interests in a person.

Related Documents

Articles of the OECD Model Tax Convention (July 2008)

OECD Model Tax Convention on Income and on Capital - an overview of available products