Should Swiss financial institutions take part in the EU FASTER Directive?
The EU directive on Faster and Safer Tax Relief of Excess Withholding Taxes (FASTER) was formally approved at the end of 2024. The purpose of the directive is to make the refund procedure for withholding tax in the EU more efficient for investors and more secure for tax authorities. Member States will have to transpose the directive into national legislation by December 31, 2028, and these rules will become applicable from January 1, 2030. But what are the implications for Swiss-based financial institutions (FI)?
Need for practical adjustments in the case of intercantonal and international home office establishments
At the end of 2025, the OECD published an update to the OECD Model Tax Convention, which sets out in detail the conditions under which working from home can constitute a permanent establishment. The OECD introduces the new concept of a company's deemed power of disposal over its employees' homes. Based on the legal principles and previous Federal Supreme Court rulings, this article analyzes whether Swiss practice regarding home office permanent establishments should be adapted in light of this new concept and the experience gained from several years of home office work.
Tax issues relating to real estate - current trends and hot topics
This issue is entirely dedicated to the topic of "Real Estate". The four articles shed light on the key issues that shape practice today. Real estate forms its own universe in tax law: the issues are complex and cantonal in nature. Between current taxation, property gains, corporate law structures and international interdependence, it is clear that even supposedly classic issues raise new questions. The latest developments impressively demonstrate how dynamic real estate taxation has become.
The Swiss taxation of real estate transactions in an international context
The Swiss real estate market is an increasingly interesting investment target for foreign investors. This article provides an introduction to the key tax aspects in connection with real estate transactions with cross-border implications. In addition to a brief outline of current tax issues, the article deals in depth with investments in commercial real estate and the question of whether an operating company or a real estate company exists for basic tax purposes, as well as the tax treatment of a sale of shares in a Swiss real estate company under Swiss unilateral law and treaty law.
EU removes Switzerland from its watch list
Switzerland meets international tax standards and implements them. The European Union is now acknowledging this and removing Switzerland from its watch list. The amendment shall enter into force upon publication of the revised Annexes in the Official Journal of the EU.
Federal Council adopts dispatch on the Protocol of Amendment to the DTA with Ukraine
At its meeting on 9 October 2019, the Federal Council approved the dispatch on the approval of a Protocol of Amendment to the Agreement to Avoid Double Taxation in the Area of Taxes on Income and Capital (DTA) between Switzerland and Ukraine. The protocol implements the minimum standards in double taxation agreements and also adapts the DTA to the current treaty policy of the two states.
Exchange of information with 75 countries on around 3.1 million financial accounts
According to the media release of the Federal Tax Administration (FTA) of 7 October 2019, the FTA has exchanged information on financial accounts with 75 countries. The exchange takes place within the framework of the global standard for automatic information exchange (AIA).
Protocol of Amendment to the DTA between Switzerland and the United States of America comes into force
Switzerland and the United States of America exchanged the instruments of ratification of the Protocol of Amendment to their Double Taxation Convention in the area of taxes on income (DTA) in Bern on 20 September 2019. The Protocol, which came into force on the same day, represents a milestone in tax relations between Switzerland and the USA.
Federal Council adopts dispatches on the amendments to the DTAs with Ireland and Korea
At its meeting on 20 September 2019, the Federal Council adopted the Dispatches on the Protocols of Amendment to the double taxation agreements (DTAs) with Ireland and Korea. The protocols implement the minimum standards in the area of DTAs. In addition, an arbitration clause is included in the DTA with Ireland. Both messages were referred to the Federal Assembly.
Federal Supreme Court ruling of 26 July 2019 (2C_653/2018): Administrative assistance to France regarding the identity of UBS clients
The Swiss Federal Tax Administration (FTA) may provide France with information regarding the identity of UBS clients presumed to be taxable in France.
Cross-border restructuring
Workshop on "Cross-border Restructuring" by Patrick Schmid and Thomas Hug on the occasion of the ISIS seminar "Corporate Restructuring" on August 29, 2023.
Current cases on intercantonal and international corporate tax law (2023)
Workshop on intercantonal and international corporate tax law by René Matteotti and Philipp Betschart on the occasion of the ISIS seminar "Corporate Tax Law 2023" on June 19/20, 2023.
Seminar folder ISIS)-Seminar "Real Estate Transactions - Tax Consequences National and Cross-Border
Case studies, detailed solution notes and slides: Here you will receive all documents of the individual workshops according to the following DeepL description from the ISIS) seminar "Real Estate Transactions - Tax Consequences National and Cross-Border" from September 12 and 13, 2022 under the direction of Julia von Ah.
