Nations Uneasy Over UN Playing Bigger Role in Tax Data Exchanges

A large swath of countries pushed back Friday against a proposal that the United Nations play a role in encouraging the exchange of tax information between nations over concerns the move would impose obligations on governments.

Delegates from Europe, Asia, and Africa told a UN committee crafting a new treaty on tax cooperation that a proposed article in the draft document went too far in potentially creating requirements for nations to swap data on taxpayers as part of audits and investigations.

Developed economies—Germany, France and Canada among them—said the exchange of tax information was an area well-covered by existing rules ...