Ethics and governance in the European Financial centers

This is the e-mail I sent to the attention of Commissioner Kovács:



Dear Mr Kovács:

I have read in Le Temps an article stating that Luxembourg is opposing your project of directive and yourself.

The jurisdiction is leading as well a cabal against the OECD and Angel Gurria.

While Switzerland is making amends like Micheline Calmy-Rey who stated recently that "In the current economic context - where our neighbors suffer from a major economic crisis - we did not have quite simply the good product anymore. We could not justify any more that billions illegitimately leave our partners' coffers", Luxembourg goes on denying its issues.

At the same time, Prime Minister Juncker gave an interview (http://www.lalibre.be/index.php?view=article&art_id=497331 ) stating that Luxembourg is not the problem and Jean-Jacques Rommes, who chairs the Luxembourg Banker's association, did not make amends as well (http://www.paperjam.lu/archives/2009/05/2404_PF_Rommes/index.html ).
They deny that in Luxembourg:
-    Banks knowingly help to commit fraud (see http://ethiquedesplaces.blogspirit.com/archive/2009/02/24/it-is-not-the-banker-who-started.html ),
-    There are offshore abuses (see http://ethiquedesplaces.blogspirit.com/archive/2009/03/29/offshore-in-luxembourg-the-tax-haven-is-there.html ) through Luxembourg with many dubious companies (http://ethiquedesplaces.blogspirit.com/archive/2008/09/07/exotism-in-the-corporate-registration.html )  with no economic reality,
-    Luxembourg does not care about the OECD Recs despite an injunction last year to introduce the criminal liability for legal persons (see http://ethiquedesplaces.blogspirit.com/archive/2008/03/29/oecd-urges-luxembourg-to-introduce-liability-of-legal-person.html ), which is neither enacted nor enforced one year later,
-    Etc.

When reading what they are saying, it appears that the membership (EU and OECD) was intended to prevent any sanction. Hence the strong feeling of impunity mixed with anger.

Yours sincerely

Jérôme Turquey
Consultant is business ethics and reputational risk
http://ethiquedesplaces.blogspirit.com