Country Profile: Switzerland

Financial Transactions Tax (FTT): Yes – tax in place

Switzerland imposes a transfer tax on both domestic and foreign securities when one of the parties is a Swiss Securities Dealer. The transfer of legal ownership on taxable securities (both equities and bonds) with the involvement of a Swiss Securities Dealer is taxed at a rate of 0.15% for Swiss securities, or 0.3% for foreign securities. There are a large amount of exemptions including transactions in Eurobonds and bonds denominated in a foreign currency are also exempt, as is securities trading by brokers for their own account, initial purchase of shares in resident companies, including those purchased through a bank or a holding company (note that there is a separate issuance tax in some cases), transfer of an option to acquire shares, redemption of securities for cancellation, initial purchase of bonds issued by foreign debtors and shares in foreign companies not denominated in Swiss currency, transfer of foreign money market papers, transfer through security brokers of foreign bonds whether in Swiss or foreign currency between two foreign parties and transfers due to intra-group reorganizations. There are also a large number of tax exempt investors such as Swiss and foreign collective investment schemes, foreign occupational pension funds and schemes and foreign social security institutions.

Source: Centre for Economic and Policy Research

Carbon Pricing: Yes – carbon pricing instrument in place

• Instruments: National ETS, National Carbon Tax
• Emissions covered: 12%, 35%
• Price: €55.05 (US$59.17), Sfr120 (US$132.12)
• Revenue: Sfr36 million (US$39 million), Sfr1,070 million (US$1,166 million)
• Sectors covered: Electricity and heat, Industry, Mining and extractives, Aviation, Electricity and heat, Industry, Mining and extractives, Buildings, Agriculture, forestry and fishing fuel use
• Offsetting: Not permitted, Yes with quantitative limit

Source