Bern, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Contrary to what was widely reported in the international media Sunday France did not obtain 3,000 names of likely tax dodgers from Switzerland as the result of a new tax treaty signed 27 August, the Swiss federal finance department told news agency ATS Sunday. The treaty must be approved by the Swiss parliament before it enters into effect, a matter of several weeks.

France’s budget minister, Eric Woerth, told French Sunday newspaper Journal du Dimanche that two banks provided information on 3,000 French taxpayers with bank accounts in Switzerland which hold CHF4.5 billion, money that is subject to French tax. The two banks reportedly provided much of the information spontaneously and the account holders have not been informed.

According to TSR, Swiss television, some CH40 billion in French money is officially invested in Swiss banks. The French government has said its taxpayers have until the end of the year to declare themselves to its amnesty programme, but that to date only 200 people have done so.

Related: Swissinfo

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