Switzerland: Swiss perspective: Standardised electronic format for the exchange of CbC reports released by the OECD

International Tax Review is part of Legal Benchmarking Limited, 1-2 Paris Garden, London, SE1 8ND

Copyright © Legal Benchmarking Limited and its affiliated companies 2025

Accessibility | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Modern Slavery Statement

Switzerland: Swiss perspective: Standardised electronic format for the exchange of CbC reports released by the OECD

Stocker
Hurdowar

Raoul Stocker

Yan Hurdowar

On March 22 2016, the OECD published its standardised electronic format for the exchange of country-by-country (CbC) reports between Competent Authorities.

The publication includes a CbC extensible markup language (XML) schema and related User Guide. Both documents were developed to facilitate the swift and uniform implementation of CbC reporting (CbCR) and with a view to accommodating the electronic preparation, filing and exchange of CbC reports.

A common electronic format for the automatic exchange of information was expected, as the OECD already indicated in the final report on Action 13 that it intended to develop a standardised mechanism for the exchange of CbC reports.

The CbC XML Schema has been primarily designed to be used for the automatic exchange of CbC reports between Competent Authorities. However, the CbC XML Schema can also be relied upon by reporting entities for transmitting the CbC report to their tax authorities, provided the use of the CbC XML Schema is mandated domestically.

Swiss perspective

Switzerland is expected to introduce the CbCR requirement in 2017 requiring Swiss multinational enterprises (MNEs) to provide the first report in 2018. As such, the exchange of CbC reports will start no later than 18 months after the last day of 2017. However, multiple countries have already confirmed that they require the filing of CbC reports by MNEs by December 31 2017 (that is, one year earlier). Therefore, Swiss-based MNEs with foreign operations should be aware that local tax authorities might require the use of the CbC XML Schema sooner than expected.

In this respect, Swiss companies should consider whether their IT systems would be compatible with an XML reporting standard as it can be expected that local tax authorities will rely on the taxpayer to prepare the CbC XML Schema.

Raoul Stocker (rstocker@deloitte.ch) and Yan Hurdowar (yhurdowar@deloitte.ch)

Deloitte

Tel: +41 58 279 6271 and +41 58 279 8152

more across site & shared bottom lb ros

More from across our site

Wim Wuyts, who had been head of the specialist tax network since 2017, is moving on to a new role with WTS’s Belgian member firm
MNEs are increasingly using algorithmic tools in TP. Sahasranshu Dash argues that data ethics should therefore plug directly into the TP design process
The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales also queried whether HMRC resources could be better spent scrutinising larger entities
Grant Thornton’s Austria tax head likens his practice to an escape room, shares his football coaching ambitions, and explains why tax is cool
Awards
ITR is delighted to reveal all the shortlisted nominees for the 2025 EMEA Tax Awards
Awards
ITR is delighted to reveal all the shortlisted nominees for the 2025 Asia-Pacific Tax Awards
The fates of pillars one and two hang in the balance after the US successfully threw its weight around in G7 and Canadian negotiations
Rafael Tena tells ITR about the ‘crazy’ Mexican market, ditching the hourly rate, and refusing to grow his fledgling firm in an ‘unstructured way’
It should be easy for advisers to be transparent about costs, Brown Rudnick partner Matthew Sharp said in response to exclusive ITR in-house data
The sprawling legislation phases out Joe Biden-era green tax incentives for businesses; in other news, the UK will reportedly maintain its DST despite US pressure
Gift this article