On 2 February 2017, the Federal Department of Finance (FDF) opened a consultation on the introduction of automatic information exchange in tax matters (AIA) with additional countries.

According to the FDF's media release of 2 February 2017, the following countries are affected by the consultation process: China, Indonesia, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Liechtenstein, Colombia, Malaysia, United Arab Emirates, Montserrat, Aruba, Curaçao, Belize, Costa Rica, Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Cook Islands and Marshall Islands.

The AIA is scheduled to enter into force on 1 January 2018, so that a first data exchange will take place in 2019. The consultation period will last until 13 April 2017.

Detailed information, including the federal decrees and the explanatory report, can be found here.