June 05 - Cameron Invites Picardo To Private Meeting In Downing Street
The Chief Minister has accepted an invitation from Prime Minister David Cameron to 10 Downing Street in the run-up to the G8 meetings later this month. Mr Picardo will attend the Trooping the Colour ceremony as the Prime Minister’s personal guest and a private meeting with the Prime Minister afterwards.
After that the Chief Minister will also attend the “Open for Growth” event being organised by 10 Downing Street and to be held at Lancaster House. The event will include invitees from across industry as well as distinguished delegates from around the world in politics, business and diplomacy.
Commenting on the invitation, Chief Minister Fabian Picardo said: “Gibraltar has been one of the leaders in the fight against money laundering, tax evasion and fraud. Indeed, as far back as February 2002 Gibraltar committed itself to transparency and effective exchange of information to the OECD. Moreover, Gibraltar as an EU jurisdiction, already complies with all EU rules to combat money laundering, tax evasion and fraud. We therefore have nothing to fear and all to gain from international initiatives to stamp out tax evasion and we would be very pleased indeed to finally see a level playing field of all other relevant jurisdictions. In the run up to the G8 meetings, I have already written to the Prime Minister setting out Gibraltar’s commitment to continue leading on this international agenda, including our transposition of the EU Directive on exchange of information on tax matters. We are also actively working on the OECD multilateral treaty on mutual administrative assistance in tax matters which has equivalent effect on an international basis. I have, therefore, been delighted to accept this invitation from the Prime Minister which will further help to demonstrate how Gibraltar as a fully compliant EU jurisdiction leads on these issues.”
This will be the second time in six months that Mr Picardo will meet Mr Cameron in Downing Street; the first having been in December during the course of the Overseas Territories Conference.
