“European Union finance ministers failed once again Tuesday to agree on a sweeping new policy to fight tax evasion because of resistance from Luxembourg, a tiny country that long has prospered from a secretive banking culture. EU Taxation Commissioner Algirdas Semeta said their failure was disappointing because the legislation proposing an EU-wide automatic exchange of data on bank deposits would allow governments to ‘identify and chase up tax evaders.’ Luxembourg, a duchy of barely 500,000 people, was able to shelve the legislation for the 28-nation bloc and its 500 million citizens because the decision required unanimous approval at Tuesday’s meeting in Brussels.”
http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/luxembourg-kills-eu-tax-haven-crackdown-1.2569871