Das Ende des Bankgeheimnisses

Es gibt keinen Weg mehr zurück. Im September wird der, von der OECD entwickelte, weltweit einheitliche "Standard für den automatischen Informationsaustausch über Finanzkonten", kurz AIA, den G20 Staaten vorgestellt und im Oktober auf einer Konferenz in Berlin finalisiert. Bereits Ende 2015 soll der Standard dann in Kraft treten und spätestens bis September 2017 soll mit dem automatisierten Informationsaustausch begonnen werden.

Berichtspflichtig sind dann Finanzinstitute, also einlageführende Banken, rein depotführende Institute, Investmentunternehmen und Versicherungsgesellschaften, die rückkauffähige Versicherungsverträge oder Rentenversicherungsverträge vertreiben.

Berichtet wird über Kundendaten (Name, Adresse etc.) und bei Rechtsträgern auch über Vertretungsorgane, Controlling Persons, Vorstände, Geschäftsführer und Treuhänder, außerdem über die Kontodaten, also Kontonummer, Kontostand, erzielte Bruttoerträge und -erlöse aus dem Verkauf von Wertpapieren. Die Finanzinstitute selbst müssen ihren Namen und, sofern vorhanden, ihre Identifikationsnummer übermitteln. Ausgeschlossen von der Kontrolle sind hingegen börsennotierte Firmen, internationale Organisationen und staatliche Betriebe.

Bei der Kontrolle wird zwischen bereits bestehenden und neu eröffneten Konten unterschieden: Während alle natürlichen Personen und alle Neukonten von Rechtsträgern kontrolliert werden, müssen Bestandskonten von Rechtsträgern im Gegenwert von weniger als 250.000 US-Dollar nicht überprüft werden.

Besonders wichtig: Es gilt das Reziprozitätsprinzip, also nur Länder, die sich zum AIA bekennen und ihm nachkommen, erhalten steuerrechtliche relevante Daten. Drittstaaten sollen keinen Einblick haben.

NC budget winners and losers

The beginning of August marked an agreement on a $ 21.25 billion state spending plan through the North Carolina General Assembly and Governor McCrory.

The plan grants an average teacher pay raise of 7 percent combined with an allegedly full preservation of teacher assistants' jobs. However, the pay rises are widely debated as young teachers would get better raises than veteran educators and teacher assistant jobs would in fact not be easily preserved.

Followed by this debate, The North Carolina House on Tuesday down voted a bill intending regulation on county sales tax rates and other economic incentive measures which needed to pass to pave way for a bill allowing local districts to save more TA jobs. Rep. Larry Pittman said that the teacher assistant fix to the budget "should not be held hostage".

With the failure of the bill, the education budget will likely not be changed, but school districts will have to cope with a funding gap for teacher assistants. Not only the management of education money will remain an issue in the next legislative session, also discussion on a Medicaid overhaul have been deferred to next year.

On a lighter note, the budget as passed three weeks ago designates a $10 million grant program for film production companies in the first half of 2015, to then replace the current film tax credit legislation.

Moreover, the budget authorizes the Governor to purchase or condemn federal land in Dare County to create an Oregon Inlet State Park and to build jetties or other structures needed to stabilize the inlet's navigation channel.

Bubblewrap is coming to town

Sealed Air plans to build a headquarters campus in southwest Charlotte and wants to start working there during the second quarter of 2016.  

Bubble Wrap, Cryovac and other packaging and hygiene materials are made by Sealed Air, who intends to relocate 1,262 jobs in Charlotte. The jobs will carry an average salary of almost $120,000 per year.  

Bringing Sealed Air to Charlotte is another example of how the city is primed to attract corporate headquarters. This sends a strong signal that North Carolina is in play and Charlotte is in play.  

Sealed Air will be largest Fortune 500 corporate headquarters relocation in the Queen City's history. Other headquarters, which moved here, may have brought more jobs, but they were not Fortune 500, U.S.-based companies. Peribere, the CEO, said that he felt Charlotte provided the best mix of tax incentives, community and other intangibles. "We want to make sure we are bringing employees to a place that combines quality of work with the quality of life," he says. The chamber of Charlotte believes the total economic impact of the Sealed Air deal will be $87.7 million, once indirect benefits are included.  

The Sealed Air relocation was the second major jobs announcement in Charlotte in as many days. On Tuesday, Spectra Group Inc. said it will establish a 250-employee operation here, choosing Charlotte over Austin, Texas and Florida's Tampa Bay area.

 

International expansion at CLT in holding pattern

Is it necessary to expand the airport of Charlotte to win new companies?

Charlotte Douglas International is the busiest American airport without a direct flight to Asia."If we could get that direct flight to Shanghai, I think that would open the floodgates for new companies," says Jeff Edge, Senior Vice President of Economic Development at the Charlotte Chamber.  

American airports recently added seasonal service from Charlotte to Barcelona, Lisbon, Manchester and Brussels, but at this time limits direct Asian service to Dallas- Fort Worth, Los Angeles and Chicago. The recent additions helped boost international business at CLT 5% for the year. International flights at Charlotte Douglas account for about 1% of the almost 44 million passengers coming through its gates each year. Because of that adding direct flights to Asia from Charlotte would require more than just more concourse space. CLT's longest runway is 10,000 feet, shorter than the 12,000 feet generally needed for Asian service from the Southeast. The airport master plan under development is expected to include plans for a fourth runway of 12,000 feet to handle trans-Pacific aircraft.

When 12 international flights arrive at the same time, the airport of Charlotte would have a problem. Therefore Charlotte Douglas spent $ 2 million on 24 automated passport- control kiosks that speed U.S. citizens through the primary Federal Inspection Service area after international flights.  

To win new companies, an expansion of the airport of Charlotte is necessary. International set up new manufacturing facilities or offices, where they can get business done quickly; versus sitting in Atlanta for instance and waiting three hours for a connecting flight. They may have lost a day versus getting a full day of business in. It's a cost savings businesses are looking for.

Global Entry Kiosks

Die neue Initiative "Global Entry" der U.S. Customs and Border Protection ermöglicht eine schnellere US-Einreise!

US-Bürger sowie auch deutsche ABG+ Registrierte, die einen vorherigen Backround Check samt Interview in den USA absolviert haben, können in Zukunft als Global-Entry-Mitglieder die automatisierten Kioske an den grösseren US-Flughäfenbenutzen, anstatt lange Warteschlangen an der bemannten Immigration Control in Kauf zu nehmen. Dabei muss man keinen Frequent Traveler Status innehaben, um teilnahmeberechtigt zu sein. Bei Benutzung der Kioske wird ein maschinenlesbarer Reisepass oder eine US Permanent Resident Card benötigt. Zudem wird eine Fingerabdruck-Verifikation und eine Zollerklärung durchgeführt. 

Für das Global-Entry-Programm kann man sich unter www.globalentry.gov anmelden. Es fällt eine Bewerbungsgebühr von 100 US Dollar an.

Noch ein Paar Hinweise zu ABG+: Die deutsche Bundespolizei teilte mit, dass im Laufe des Jahres 2014 das Reisen Registrierten Programm "ABG" (Automatisierte und Biometriegestützte Grenzkontrolle) zu "Easypass" wird. Easypass ist ein automatisiertes Grenzkontrollsystem, welches ohne vorherige Registrierung von Staatsbürgern der EU, des EWR oder der Schweiz genutzt werden kann . Dennoch ist die Easypass-Nutzung nicht automatisch mit dem Global-Entry-System verknüpft. Für den ABG+ Status ist weiterhin eine kostenlose Registrierung bei der Bundespolizei am Frankfurter Flughafen notwendig. Die bestehende Registrierungsvariante "ABG+" wird dann zukünftig als "Easypass+" weitergeführt.

Manvel Vasilyev will attend the First Belarusian-American Investment Forum

BridgehouseLaw Charlotte is pleased to announce that our partner, Manvel Vasilyev, will attend the upcoming investment forum. Manvel Vasilyev looks forward to discussing investment opportunities with Prime-Minister of Belarus, Mr. Mikhail Myasnikovich, and Minister of Economy of Belarus, Mr. Nikolai Snopkov, during the First Belarusian-American Investment Forum on September 22^nd.

Belarusian delegation also includes Ms. Natalia Nikandrova, Director of the National Agency of Investment and Privatization, deputies from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Finance, National Bank Board, and Chamber of Trade and Commerce.

Mr. Nikolai Snopkov, Minister of Economy of Belarus, will deliver keynote presentation on the future of economic cooperation between Belarus and the United States. Ms. Natalia Nikandrova, Director of the National Agency of Investment and Privatization, will discuss the current investment climate in Belarus.

The importance and timing of the First Belarusian-American Investment Forum cannot be understated. We are certain that the First Investment forum will have positive impact on Belarusian-American economic relations.