Financial Transparency Coalition

Assistant Administrator Eric Postel of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has sent a letter to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) supporting Section 1504, or the Cardin-Lugar provision, of the Dodd-Frank financial reform bill. The "Publish What You Pay" provision, which has been significantly delayed, requires energy and mining companies registered with the SEC to report payments to foreign governments for the extraction of oil, gas, and minerals on a country-by-country basis.  Commenting on the positive effects of country-by-country reporting, Postel writes:

“Our overarching belief is that the enforcement of the proposed rules contributes towards U.S. Government...

News Corp. Hires Same Law Firm Leading U.S. Chamber Campaign To Weaken Anti-Bribery Law Thinkprogress, July 20, 2011

News Corp. Board Hires Mukasey, Other FCPA Big Guns Just Anti-Corruption, July 20, 2011

Certain amount of bribe giving can be made legal: Murthy Press Trust of India, July 20, 2011

Without corruption, GDP growth would be in double digits: Murthy Press Trust of India, July 20, 2011

Murdoch's Dirty Deeds Don't Come Cheap Huffington Post, July 21, 2011

Afghanistan Is Hampering US Efforts To Help Improve AML In The Country Wall Street Journal,...

Free trade is not what Africa needs, Mr Cameron The Guardian, July 19, 2011

Only people’s power can end graft: Gurumurthy Express Buzz, July 19, 2011

Germany aims at Swiss banks over tax dodgers –report Reuters, July 19, 2011

India Sees Growth Imperiled With Greek-Like Tax Evasion Bloomberg, July 19, 2011

Central Bank steps up fight against money laundering Business Daily, July 19, 2011

India tweaking laws to check money laundering Rediff Business, July 19, 2011

Richard Murphy of Tax Research UK, a coordinating committee member of the Task Force, has released a new report on tax haven abuse on behalf of the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), War on Want, and the Tax Justice Network. The report examines the effects of tax havens on tax collection, financial stability, corruption and poverty. In addition, it looks at the consequences of secrecy laws in tax havens on the international financial system. The report expresses concern over the direction tax law is moving in, stating: PCS wishes to draw attention to the massively worrying...