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Last updated - May 2013

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29 May 2013 - MCM Ceremony: Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters

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This Convention was developed jointly by the Council of Europe and the OECD and opened for signature by the member states of both organisations on 25 January 1988.

In April 2009, the G20 called for action “to make it easier for developing countries to secure the benefits of the new co-operative tax environment, including a multilateral approach for the exchange of information.” In response the OECD and the Council of Europe developed a Protocol amending the multilateral Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters to bring it in line with the international standard on exchange of information for tax purposes and to open it up to all countries ("amended Convention").  Previously, it was only open to members of the OECD and of the Council of Europe.  At the G20 Summit in Cannes, France in November 2011, all G20 countries participated in a ceremony to mark the signing of the Convention. In less than 2 years since the amendment to the Convention, more than 50 countries have either become signatories or have stated their intention to do so.

The amended Convention facilitates international co-operation for a better operation of national tax laws, while respecting the fundamental rights of taxpayers. The amended Convention provides for all possible forms of administrative co-operation between states in the assessment and collection of taxes, in particular with a view to combating tax avoidance and evasion. This co-operation ranges from exchange of information, including automatic exchanges, to the recovery of foreign tax claims.

For more information on the amended Convention see the flyer (also available in Spanish) which provides a brief overview on the Convention.  For answers to frequently asked questions regarding the amended Convention please see the Information Brief.

The amended Convention is also available in French, Spanish (unofficial translation) and Portuguese (unofficial translation).

Press Releases

• Austria, Luxembourg and Singapore among countries signing-on to end tax secrecy 29 May 2013
• Morocco signs the Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters 21 May 2013 (in French only)
• Costa Rica strengthens tax transparency 5 April 2013
• Albania signs the Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters 1 March 2013
• Guatemala: commits to international exchange of tax information 5 December 2012

See more press releases

Related Documents

Explanatory Report of the Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters as amended by the 2010 Protocol

Texto Del Informe Explicativo Revisado de la Convención Sobre Asistencia Administrativa Mutua En Materia Fiscal (Spanish - Unoffical translation)

Chart of Signatures and Ratifications

List of Declarations, Reservations and other Communications

Process to become a Party to the amended Convention

Original Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters: Text and Explanatory Report

2010 Protocol Amending the Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters