In an increasingly globalized world economy, the OECD, UN, as well as
the EU consider cooperation between States as a crucial instrument to achieve
different, but related tax-related goals, ranging from the correct and fair
levying of taxes to the and#8216;battlesand#8217; against harmful tax competition, bank
secrecy, money laundering, and recently even against corruption and
international terrorism. To meet these expectations the international rules on
the subject have changed considerably during the last three or four years.

The focus of this work is the legal position of the taxpayer in the exchange
of tax-related information between States. In that regard the book addresses
four main questions:

• 
  When exchanging information, do States have a legal duty to protect the
  interests of their internal taxpayers/suppliers of information, apart from the
  obligation to protect the interests of the contracting States?
  


• 
  If the last question is answered in the affirmative, can this duty be
  fulfilled under the current rules concerning the international exchange of
  information?
  


• 
  Within this framework, what are the interests of States and taxpayers to be
  weighed?
  


• 
  How can the legal protection of taxpayers supplying information be best
  achieved?