Panama's government has suspended a contract with French credit insurance giant Compagnie Francaise DAssurance Pour le Comerce Extérieur (Coface) to finance part of a project to build the first line of its subway, after French Minister Valérie Pécresse persisted in including Panama in France's list of tax havens, despite the signing of a double-taxation agreement by both countries.
The actions by the Minister prove that the entire "tax transparency" campaign by European countries is a scam that will only end until Caribbean financial centers are reduced to banana and sugar cane exporters as in the 18th century. No matter how many tax agreements are signed, or laws changed, there will always be some new "black list" that international financial centers (except those in Europe) are deemed to be included in.
The Comunique of the Panama Ministry of Foreign Relations states in its draft translation:
The actions by the Minister prove that the entire "tax transparency" campaign by European countries is a scam that will only end until Caribbean financial centers are reduced to banana and sugar cane exporters as in the 18th century. No matter how many tax agreements are signed, or laws changed, there will always be some new "black list" that international financial centers (except those in Europe) are deemed to be included in.
The Comunique of the Panama Ministry of Foreign Relations states in its draft translation:
Posted on Sunday, November 27, 2011 in Information
COMUNIQUE
Panama has made notable and recognized efforts to update the rules governing our financial sector, including the signing of 12 Double Taxation Treaties that have allowed us out of the OECD's gray list.
Statements French Minister of Budget and Public Accounts, Valérie Pécresse, just days after the interview between the President of the Republic, Ricardo Martinelli and French President Nicolas Sarkozy contradict what was agreed between the two Presidents.
We call on France to ratify promptly the Double Taxation Agreement signed with Panama last June 30 which was ratified by Panama in October.
We are confident that when France ratifies this treaty, as promised by President Sarkozy to President Martinelli French animosity against Panama on this issue will disappear.
Panama's sovereign decision to refuse services COFACE the French company, is a measure backed by Panamanian Law 58 of 2002 adopting retaliatory measures in case of foreign discriminatory restrictions against the Republic of Panama.
We had already warned would take action against repeated verbal attacks on our financial system in international forums by countries whose companies, in parallel, seek to participate in the huge public investments in our country forward.
http://www.mire.gob.pa/noticias/2011/11/27/comunicado
We call on France to ratify promptly the Double Taxation Agreement signed with Panama last June 30 which was ratified by Panama in October.
We are confident that when France ratifies this treaty, as promised by President Sarkozy to President Martinelli French animosity against Panama on this issue will disappear.
Panama's sovereign decision to refuse services COFACE the French company, is a measure backed by Panamanian Law 58 of 2002 adopting retaliatory measures in case of foreign discriminatory restrictions against the Republic of Panama.
We had already warned would take action against repeated verbal attacks on our financial system in international forums by countries whose companies, in parallel, seek to participate in the huge public investments in our country forward.
http://www.mire.gob.pa/noticias/2011/11/27/comunicado
Earlier this month, Panama's Foreign Minister Roberto Henriquez had called the G20 hypocrites after including Panama again in their list of tax havens, despite having signed the 12 Double Taxation Agreements required by the OECD. http://www.telemetro.com/noticias/2011/11/07/84789/panama-califica-actitud-hipocrita-posicion-g20
According to La Estrella, Minister Pecresse made a Sunday call to the Panamanian Treasury Minister De Lima sayins that an emissary would fly into Panama to clarify matters. http://www.laestrella.com.pa/online/noticias/2011/11/28/francia_se_retracta_luego_de_acciones_de_panama_contra_coface.asp
COFACE Risque pays et études économiques > Panama
http://www.coface.fr/CofacePortal/FR_fr_FR/pages/home/os/risks_home/risques_pays/fiche/Panama?extraUid=571911
COFACE dans le monde
http://www.coface.com/CofacePortal/ShowBinary/BEA%20Repository/AR/es_ES/pages/home/wwa/gt/memoria/_docs/coface_es.pdf
