A working group, comprising public- and private-sector representatives, is assisting with the development of the Cayman Islands' legal framework for the automatic exchange of information (AEOI) for tax purposes, in order to respond to international initiatives that include US and UK FATCA.
The working group will provide its recommendations regarding draft primary legislation, for consideration by the Legislative Assembly during its May session, said group Chairman Roy McTaggart.
The group also will work on draft regulations, and guidance notes as appropriate, for Cayman's financial services industry.
Mr McTaggart emphasised that the working group's remit expands beyond FATCA, to encompass future international AEOI agreements.
'AEOI is rapidly becoming the global standard for tax information exchange', he said. 'While the public is increasingly familiar with the terms "US FATCA" and "UK FATCA", it is important for them to understand that those initiatives are mechanisms for the automatic exchange of information for tax purposes. Other mechanisms will develop, whether by individual countries or on a global scale.
'The working group is therefore assisting with the development of Cayman's legislative and regulatory framework to meet both the current needs of US and UK FATCA, as well as future AEOI initiatives'.
In addition to Mr McTaggart, group members and the organisations they represent are Ms Catherine Williams, Attorney General's Office; Mr Duncan Nicol, Department for International Tax Cooperation; Mrs Michelle Bahadur, Department for Financial Services Policy and Legislation; Mr Mike Mannisto, Cayman Finance; Mr Martin Livingston, Cayman Islands Compliance Association; Mr David Conen, Cayman Islands Society of Professionals Accountants; and Mr Cecil Chan-A-Sue, Cayman Islands Bankers Association.
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