My del.icio.us bookmarks for March 12th through March 16th

These are my links for March 12th through March 16th:

• International deals on sharing tax data could take years to complete – International Herald Tribune – .
  "There is some doubt about how long the enthusiasm of the newfound converts will last. After an outcry in the Swiss media following the announcement that the country would comply with the OECD standards, the Swiss government issued a statement Saturday saying the decision "does not constitute 'the end of bank secrecy,"' and said the government "has stated on several occasions that Switzerland has no intention of relinquishing bank secrecy."

  "The Swiss are trying to gain time," Nicolas Michellod, an analyst with the Zurich office of with Celent, a international financial research firm. "Negotiating new tax treaties with each country will take years."

  He said that could give opponents of the measure on the Swiss right, whom he described as feeling aggrieved by the international criticism, a chance to drag out any changes to the banking laws until the issue moved out of the headlines."

• AFP: Secrecy reforms don't faze Swiss banks: reports – Of course not: for a start it will take a decade for anything to happen
• Jersey fears for a future without tax schemes | – .
  Nick Mathiason asks if Jersey has a future with out to tax avoidance.

  I can tell him. The answer is no

• Bad boys, old boys, new thinking | AccMan – Dennis Howlett with sound thinking on regulation
• Barclays 'makes £1bn a year' through tax avoidance schemes | Mail Online – The Mail picks up the Barclays story and runs with it

  Rightly so: this sort of thing has to be ended for good and middle England rightly dislikes it

• Non-governmental Groups In Jersey Protest At Tax Havens – "Militants" from Tax Justice Network

  Are they going to call Sarkozy, Merkel, Brown and Obama militants next?

  They're on our side

  But the media can't quite get their heads round that yet.

• Prem Sikka: Why we need a people-centred approach to banking | – .
  Oh yes
• www.news.admin.ch – Switzerland to adopt OECD standard on administrative assistance in fiscal matters – Saying 'Swiss banking secrecy stays intact' is not a good move right now.

  So theme tact would help.

• FT.com / Europe – Liechtenstein eases bank secrecy rules – .
  But note:

  "Liechtenstein will go not so far as to abolish bank secrecy. But the principality will co-operate more fully with foreign tax authorities and will end the confusing distinction, also retained by Switzerland, between tax evasion, a civil offence, and tax fraud, a crime."

  That's progress.

  But it's only limited progress.

  We will demand more. And rightly so. Bank secrecy is, after all, a crime against humanity at large.

  Don't believe me? Ask all those who have suffered the despoliation of their nations as they loot funds for the benefit of their Swiss and Lichtenstein bank accounts.

  A billion voices can bring testimony to support my case.

• FT.com / Companies / Financials – Fury at Madoff over claim he acted alone – .
  I simply don't believe he acted alone.

  Just not possible.

  And where is the money?

• Tax Havens Pledge to Ease Secrecy Laws – WSJ.com – .
  It's not just me. Here's John Christensen being quoted out of context too.
• Is this the end for treasure islands? – .
  Is it a sign that you've made it when a) your research isn't credited and b) you're quoted out of context

  Discuss.

• A quoi sert la liste noire des paradis fiscaux ? – I get around these days
• FT.com / Companies / Financial Services – Auditors suffer liability setback – .
  Actually, some of us call that progress
• PwC, Berg Kaprow Lewis receive petty cash fines | AccMan – .
  Dennis is right.

  Does a £750 fine have any meaning for PWC?