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Europe > Liechtenstein

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Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Principality of Andorra: Selected Issues
International Monetary Fund. African Dept.
This Selected Issues paper focuses on housing affordability in Andorra. This paper shows a granular analysis of housing affordability, exploiting microdata from the Survey of Living Conditions, to identify the groups that are most affected and better inform and target housing policies. Evidence that affordability is lower for renters and that Andorra is a renter-dominated real estate market combines to create a housing affordability issue. Low-income and low-skilled workers are disproportionally affected. This study analyzes the evolution and characteristics of housing demand and supply dynamics in the country, which indicates a supply and demand mismatch in the affordable segment of the Andorran housing market as well as insufficient fluidity, which exacerbates the shortage of short-term rentals and complicates the hiring of foreign workers. A multipronged policy approach is needed, and a careful balance is needed to minimize market distortions while increasing the stock of housing in the medium-term.
Keywords:
rental affordability; housing affordability crisis; E. climate Policy assessment tool; rental housing policy; Andorran bank; Housing; Climate change; Climate policy; Carbon tax; Greenhouse gas emissions; Global; Europe
Cover FinTech Notes
Keeping Pace with Change: Fintech and the Evolution of Commercial Law
José Garrido, Ms. Yan Liu, Joseph Sommer, and Juan Sebastián Viancha
This note explores the interactions between new technologies with key areas of commercial law and potential legal changes to respond to new developments in technology and businesses. Inspired by the Bali Fintech Agenda, this note argues that country authorities need to closely examine the adequacy of their legal frameworks to accommodate the use of new technologies and implement necessary legal reform so as to reap the benefits of fintech while mitigating risks. Given the cross-border nature of new technologies, international cooperation among all relevant stakeholders is critical. The note is structured as follows: Section II describes the relations between technology, business, and law, Section III discusses the nature and functions of commercial law; Section IV provides a brief overview of developments in fintech; Section V examines the interaction between technology and commercial law; and Section VI concludes with a preliminary agenda for legal reform to accommodate the use of new technologies.
Keywords:
fintech, commercial law, technological innovations, distributed ledger technology, tokens, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, automated conrtracting, smart contracts, registries, contract law, securities and negotiable instruments, company law, secured transactions, insolvency, digital technology; FINTECH note; B. contract law; evolution of commercial law; publication order; DLT network; Blockchain and DLT; Smart contracts; Technological innovation; Emerging technologies; Securities
Cover IMF Working Papers
Hidden Treasure: The Impact of Automatic Exchange of Information on Cross-Border Tax Evasion
Sebastian Beer, Maria Delgado Coelho, and Sebastien Leduc
We analyze the impact of exchange of information in tax matters in reducing international tax evasion between 1995 and 2018. Based on bilateral deposit data for 39 reporting countries and more than 200 counterparty jurisdictions, we find that recent automatic exchange of information frameworks reduced foreign-owned deposits in offshore jurisdictions by an average of 25 percent. This effect is statistically significant and, as expected, much larger than the effect of information exchange upon request, which is not significant. Furthermore, to test the sensitivity of our findings, we estimate countries’ offshore status and the impact of information exchange simultaneously using a finite mixture model. The results confirm that automatic (and not upon request) exchange of information impacts cross-border deposits in offshore jurisdictions, which are characterized by low income tax rates and strong financial secrecy.
Keywords:
WP; bank deposit; EOI agreement; tax evasion; exchange of information; cross-border deposits; treatment effect; offshore center; biases result; standard error; Anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT); Offshore financial centers; Double taxation; Personal income tax; Global
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Liechtenstein: Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism-Technical Note
International Monetary Fund. Legal Dept.
This Technical Note evaluates the state of Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism in Liechtenstein. Liechtenstein has made significant steps and achieved considerable progress since the last mutual evaluation, particularly in bringing its legal framework more closely in line with the Financial Action Task Force recommendations, consolidating an overall robust institutional framework for combating money laundering and terrorist financing and moving toward greater transparency. Domestic cooperation is robust, and key stakeholders enjoy the trust of the financial and nonfinancial sectors. However, effective implementation is uneven and not always optimal. Liechtenstein’s proactive use of the in rem regime of confiscation of criminal proceeds has proven to be quite effective.
Keywords:
ISCR; CR; beneficial owner; due diligence; audit firm; public enterprise; penal code; predicate offense; risk assessment; financial market; limited partnership; organized crime; code of criminal procedure; Legal support in revenue administration; Anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT); Money laundering; Terrorism financing; Global; Europe; Africa
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Switzerland: Detailed Assessment of Observance-Insurance Core Principles
International Monetary Fund. Monetary and Capital Markets Department
This Detailed Assessment of Observance on the Insurance Core Principles on Switzerland analyzes that the insurance industry in Switzerland is well developed having among the highest insurance penetration and expenditure per capita in the world. The sector is dominated by a few players writing significant international business. The life sector is dominated by two players, responsible for 54 percent of the business and the top 10 life insurers account for 97 percent of the market. The industry has weathered the 2008 crisis well; however, the current low interest rate environment is affecting the sector. The lack of availability of Swiss government bonds to match long term liabilities of life insurers and pension funds could be a source of vulnerability. The long-term nature of the liabilities of life insurers and pension funds could in principle be matched by investment in Swiss government securities. Supervision focuses on ensuring sufficiency of liquid assets to meet policy liabilities. Policyholders have priority claims over the tied assets. In addition, robust solvency requirements ensure there is enough capital to safeguard the insurers’ financial soundness under adverse conditions.
Keywords:
ISCR; CR; financial market; risk management; parent company; insurance group; board of directors; business plan; investment strategy; balance sheet; insurance coverage; Insurance companies; Insurance; Solvency; Financial statements; Insurance supervision; Global; Europe
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
St. Vincent and the Grenadines: Detailed Assessment Report on Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism
International Monetary Fund
St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) is exposed to money laundering (ML) and financing of terrorism (FT) risk related to drug trafficking and international criminal groups. The financing of terrorism has also been criminalized and is largely in conformity with the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism (SFT) Convention. The legal and institutional framework regarding the cross-border transportation of cash and bearer instruments is largely in place. The preventive measures regime covers most of the financial and designated nonfinancial businesses and professions (DNFBP) sectors as required under the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Recommendations.
Keywords:
ISCR; CR; POCA regulation; economic activity; business activity; CFT supervision; criminal offense; banking sector; financial institution; mutual fund; material information; CFT compliance; regulatory authority; executive director; Anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT); Money laundering; Mutual funds; Legal support in revenue administration; Foreign banks; Caribbean
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Liechtenstein: Assessment of Financial Sector Supervision and Regulation
International Monetary Fund
The financial sector in Liechtenstein provides primarily wealth-management services, including banking, trust, other fiduciary services, investment management, and life insurance. The establishment of the Financial Market Authority (FMA) as the unified, independent regulator in January 2005 is a huge step for the financial services industry. The FMA and other authorities have been successful in implementing most of the recommendations provided in the earlier 2002 IMF assessment. The authorities and the industry continue to make significant efforts to strengthen the antimoney laundering regime, though there is still work ahead.
Keywords:
ISCR; CR; Liechtenstein; FMA Act; EEA requirement; authority; asset; FMA representative; Liechtenstein regime; due diligence; EEA membership; FMA order; Anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT); Asset management; Insurance; Insurance companies; Europe; Global
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Liechtenstein: Assessment of the Supervision and Regulation of the Financial Sector Technical Note on the Basel Core Principles and IOSCO Securities
International Monetary Fund
Liechtenstein has a GDP of US$5.2 billion, of which 40 percent comes from industry and 30 percent from financial services. Currently, 15 banks operate in Liechtenstein (one additional bank is in the process of being wound down without loss to the depositors). The market is highly concentrated with the three largest banks accounting for 90 percent of the total banking balance sheet size; 86 percent of assets under management; 89 percent of operating profits before tax, and 63 percent of employment in the banking sector.
Keywords:
ISCR; CR; asset manager; investment undertaking; financial market; FMA staff; rule-making authority; asset management; FMA website; budget consist; FMA lists; customer asset; Asset management; Auditing; External audit; Basel Core Principles; Bank supervision
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Liechtenstein: Detailed Assessment Report on Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism
International Monetary Fund
Liechtenstein’s financial sector business has created money laundering risks. The investigative powers of the law enforcement authorities are comprehensive enough to enable them to conduct serious investigations in an effective way. Money laundering is criminalized broadly in line with the international standard. Liechtenstein relies on its trust service providers to obtain, verify, and retain records of the beneficial ownership and control of legal persons. Liechtenstein should conduct a full review of its laws concerning non-profit organizations to assess their adequacy for combating the financing of terrorism.
Keywords:
ISCR; CR; due diligence; beneficial owner; predicate offense; criminal offense; terrorist group; correspondent bank; organized crime; criminal activity; Money laundering; Legal support in revenue administration; Anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT); Terrorism financing; Global; Europe