Descriptive Notes And Contents List

Confidential, private banking was one of the key offshore products from the beginning, and such major banking centres as the Cayman Islands, Switzerland, Hong Kong and the Bahamas warehouse staggering quantities of money for individuals and organisations who prefer to keep it out of the immediate oversight of their home governments. Very importantly, of course, money held offshore cannot readily be taxed by rapacious high-tax economies.

There is great variety among the main offshore banking jurisdictions, both in regulatory terms and in respect of the services offered. The aim of this report is to analyse the situation on the ground in each of the main offshore banking centres, including their reponses to the EU's Savings Tax Directive and the attacks of the 'multilaterals' during the early years of the new millennium.