Is the international pressure off?

COULD the international pressure on the island be easing at last?

Over the past five years, our financial services, tax rates and Customs deal have come under intense scrutiny from beyond our shores.

We’ve had the EU question our corporate tax regime, the painful revision of our VAT deal twice in two years, an inquiry commissioned by the Westminster government has run the rule over our ability to withstand financial shocks and the OECD has reviewed our tax transparency and co-operation.

It seems that barely a week went by without another brickbat being lobbed our way by Brussels, London or Washington.

But now as 2011 comes to a close, there is a tangible feeling that international relations have turned a corner – and the pressure on us, at least for the time being, has abated.
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