Since 2009, the G20 has consistently encouraged countries to sign the Convention. Today, close to 150 jurisdictions participate in it, including 17 jurisdictions covered by territorial extension. This represents a wide range of countries including all G20 countries, all BRIICS, all OECD countries, major financial centres and an increasing number of developing countries.
Convention on mutual administrative assistance in tax matters
The Multilateral Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters ("the Convention") was developed jointly by the OECD and the Council of Europe in 1988 and amended by Protocol in 2010. It currently is the most comprehensive multilateral instrument available for all forms of tax co-operation to tackle tax evasion and avoidance.
Key messages
The Convention facilitates a wide variety of forms of administrative assistance. These include all forms of exchange of information, namely exchange of information on request, automatic exchange of information, spontaneous exchange of information as well as simultaneous tax examinations, and tax examinations abroad, the assistance in recovery of tax claims and assistance in the service of documents.
The Convention provides for exchange of information upon request in line with the international standard. In addition, given the Convention provides the ideal instrument to swiftly implement automatic exchange of information, most jurisdictions rely on the Convention to implement the International Standards on Automatic Exchange of Information, the BEPS actions relating to tax transparency as well as the transparency framework for income derived trough digital platforms.
Against that background, the Multilateral Competent Authority Agreements on Automatic Exchange of Financial Account Information (the "CRS MCAA"), the Exchange of CARF Information (CARF MCAA), the Exchange of CbC Reports (the "CbC MCAA"), and the exchange of information collected under the Model Reporting Rules for Digital Platforms, have been developed under the umbrella of the Convention.
In accordance with Article 24(3) and (4) of the Convention, the Co-ordinating Body is responsible for monitoring the implementation and development of the Convention, including:
- acting as a forum to increase international cooperation in tax matters;
- recommending revisions or amendments to the Convention;
- furnishing opinions on the interpretation of provisions of the Convention;
- serving as the body through which decisions are taken to invite States to become Parties to the Convention; and
- co-ordinating the implementation of Multilateral Competent Authority Agreements.
The Co-ordinating Body is composed of representatives of the competent authorities of the Parties to the Convention and includes the competent authorities of territories to which the Convention applies. The Co-ordinating Body is led by the Chair and three Vice-Chairs.
Context
Full Text of the Convention
The text of the amended Convention is available in English, French, German (unofficial translation), Spanish (unofficial translation) and Portuguese (unofficial translation).
A Global Network for Tax Cooperation
This map shows the jurisdictions that currently participate in the Convention, as well as those that have become signatories of the Multilateral Competent Authority Agreements for the Automatic Exchange of Information.
