Ethics and governance in the European Financial centers

21 November 2007 marks the ten-year anniversary of the adoption of the Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions by member states of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

According to Angel Gurría, OECD Secretary-Genera, "It is one thing to enact laws, and another to enforce them. That is why we put a strong emphasis on monitoring and evaluating implementation (...) The ten years of the Anti-Bribery Convention offer no reason for complacency. Much more needs to be done. Sadly, rather than being more ambitious, some countries are sliding back on their determination. Some are still holding back on implementing the Convention. They have almost no investigations. They have brought no cases to court. They are not being pro-active"

Read TI article

OECD Website

Opening Remarks by Angel Gurría, OECD Secretary-General at the the Tenth Anniversary of the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention

The Tax Justice Network issued the following notice :

Invitation to Participate in a Workshop on
TAX JUSTICE, TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY

Essex University, 3 - 4 July 2008

The role of transparency and accountability in creating tax justice will be the main theme of the sixth annual research workshop in the current series jointly organised by the Association for Accountancy & Business Affairs and the Tax Justice Network.

Having explored the themes of tax and poverty and tax and finance for development in our last two workshops, we thought a different perspective appropriate in 2008. In focusing on accountability and transparency we wish to highlight the fact that the supply of honest information to taxing authorities is a prerequisite of a just tax system.

The themes that might be explored within this remit are wide, and might cover:

1. Problems of taxation of mobile capital;
2. International cooperation and transparency for tax purposes;
3. Accounting and tax transparency;
4. Secrecy, tax havens and offshore finance centres;
5. Relationship of tax to trade and investment agreements;
6. Are national governments losing the power to tax?;
7. The accountability of government for taxation revenues.

No doubt others will emerge as the workshop agenda develops.

The aim of this workshop is to bring together researchers, academics, journalists, policy staff of civil society organisations, consultants and professionals, elected politicians and/or their researchers, and government or international organisation officials to explore issues on these and related themes. The purpose of the workshop is to facilitate research through open-minded debate and discussion, and to generate ideas and proposals to inform and shape the political initiatives and campaigns already under way.

There will be a small charge for attendance at the Workshop. Participants are usually expected to finance their own travel although applications from students and others with limited means for bursary support will be considered. Accommodation at Essex University will be available at modest cost.

Anyone interested in participating should provide details of the nature of their interest, affiliations and any relevant research or publications to:

Richard Murphy FCA, Director, Tax Research LLP
The Old Orchard, Bexwell Road, Downham Market, Norfolk PE38 9LJ
United Kingdom +44 (0) 1366 383500 +44 (0) 777 552 1797
richard.murphy (at) taxresearch.org.uk

Offers of papers are especially welcome and early submission is encouraged as applicants have exceeded available spaces in recent years. Any submissions will be actively considered by the organising committee which comprises:

John Christensen (Tax Justice Network)
Jo Marie Griesgraber (New Rules for Global Finance)
Prem Sikka (Essex University)
Richard Murphy (Tax Research LLP)
Ronen Palan (Birmingham University and IDS, Sussex)
Sol Picciotto (Lancaster University)

The new head of Transparency International has warned London and other global financial centres to expect "much greater pressure" from the corruption watchdog to tighten anti-graft and money laundering regulations.


Read article "Anti-graft watchdog to step up pressure on west" (Financial Times)

TI website