Germany has joined over European countries to help each enforce national tax laws and collection.

It is the sixteenth member of the OECD-Council of Europe Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters, joining France, UK and the US.

'This allows for a more effective prosecution of international tax evasion and tax fraud,' said Germany’s secretary of state in the Federal Ministry of Finance Dr Axel Nawrath.

'Given the convention’s multilateral nature, its benefits grow as more countries join,' said OECD secretary-general Angel Gurría.

'It is a valuable instrument in addressing tax evasion schemes that often involve more than two countries or are replicated in different countries.'

Further reading:

Swiss unbowed on bank secrecy laws