Tool Kit on Automatic Exchange of Information

Send

Notebook this page: www.oecd.org/tax/eoi/toolkit

Automatic exchange of information (also called routine exchange by some countries) involves the systematic and periodic transmission of “bulk” taxpayer information by the source country to the residence country concerning various categories of income (e.g. dividends, interest, royalties, salaries, pensions, etc). [See OECD Manual on the Implementation of Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes - Module on Automatic (or Routine) Exchange of Information]

Automatic exchange of information requires the standardisation of formats so that information can be processed efficiently in an automated matching system.

The standards, designed by the OECD, presently used by countries are the 1997 Standard Magnetic Format (SMF) which was recommended by the OECD Council C(97)30/FINAL) and the Standard Transmission based on XML which was recommended by the Committee on Fiscal Affairs in 2005. SMF and STF User Guides assist in the implementation of those standards. As the two standards are in use, bridging programs between the two standards are also available and regularly updated. They allow the SMF to be converted in STF, and the STF to be converted in SMF.

NEW (July 2011)
It has been agreed that countries are to start using new improved versions of STF and bridging programmes: STF 2.1 and bridge version 1.0 as of 1 January 2012 as all countries need to start using STF 2.1 at the same time. STF 2.1 and bridge version 1.0 are made available at present only for testing and planning purposes. User guides are also available. Any questions and comments on these new versions should be sent to CTP.AEOI@oecd.org.