Leaders of the G8 major economies have agreed new measures to clamp down on money launderers, illegal tax evaders and corporate tax avoiders. Governments agreed to give each other automatic access to information on their residents' tax affairs. They will also require shell companies - often used to exploit tax loopholes and invest money anonymously - to identify their effective owners.
Foreign politicians could have had their telephones and computers intercepted in G20 summit meetings in London in 2009, a group to which Argentina belongs, according to an exclusive report carried out by British newspaper The Guardian after it gained access to certain documents that could cause problems for the British government.
British prime minister has hailed an agreement by the UK's Overseas Territories and Crown dependencies to sign up to a tax evasion clampdown. David Cameron said it was a very positive step forward ahead of the G8 meeting, which starts on Monday.
Money, politics and economics must serve, not rule. They must serve people and promote an ethics of truth. This was the thread running through Pope Francis Letter to the British Prime Minister on the eve of the G8 Summit.
The Isle of Man and Jersey have hit back at accusations that they facilitate tax evasion and avoidance ahead of next week's G8 summit. The offshore jurisdictions, frequently described as tax havens, suggest recent pressure from world leaders is politically motivated.
The European Commission is seeking to up the fight against tax evasion within the European Union. The Commission wants governments to automatically exchange information on a wide range of financial income earned in their countries by non-residents.
People using tax havens have deprived governments worldwide of £100 billion in revenue, enough to end extreme poverty twice over, according to new figures published by Oxfam. The total amount of lost tax revenue is far higher than £100 billion, as the figure only includes tax dodged by individuals, and not companies.
Britain, France and Germany called for stricter rules to stop companies such as Google, Apple and Amazon aggressively avoiding taxes in austerity bitten Europe, while acknowledging they had done nothing unlawful.
By PM David Cameron - The Wall Street Journal - Britain and America have a proud history of working together to meet the great challenges of the day. Ours is a partnership without parallel, rooted in our values of freedom and enterprise—advancing not just Britain’s and America’s interests but the good of people around the world.