The taxes in Germany are ludicrous. And furthermore laws to encourage investing are pitiful. As of 2009 Germany will have a flat capital gains tax of %25 with no allowance whatsoever. The UK and US has far better investment products and information to consumers. There are reasons why people want to take their money out of a country but ultimately the government should do more to encourage people to invest here like the UK does via ISA, SIPPs or the US with 401k plans etc.

matthew, Frankfurt, Germany

The City of London - is the World largest money laundry machine! That is a fact and nobody talks about it, but may be until somebody steals data and sells it to a desperate state.

This should alert all banks not to allow - notebooks and "independent consultants" into their data centers where customer data can be accessed. Moreover there are still banks around the World which use real data as test data in order to test new computer applications.

The funny thing about the Liechtenstein affair is that all politicans who are on the list and there are quite a few remain untouched.

Guenter, Holualoa, USA/HI

When they witter on about tax "evasion" not being the same as tax "fraud", they rely on the power of interdicted narcotics to interfere with your short-term memory and poor levels of literacy. The dictum is actually a little more refined and is the standby of your big legalo-accounting firms - you know, the ones who signed off on those off-the-books Vehicles, known as Monolines since the wheels came off.

Tax minimisation is legal; tax evasion is fraud. This means that you are suppoed to project the numbers and seek out the legal, most tax-efficient use of your funds. You'll get snared in gummint schemes, which gummints routinely abandon half way through because of unforseen consequences. However, those are the breaks, taxwise.

France has a couple of hundred recalcitrants on the list and the good part is that le Fisc got the names for free.

Dion Per Sona, Cardiff, UK,

taxes help inslave the people.

Rose, fla, USA

Angela Merkel's government is guilty of gross inefficiency. People who have a choice are not going to leave their money in high-tax, low-return zones. Wake up Chancellor Merkel - turn Germany into an attractive place to keep money (ie: lower your tax rates), and Germans will not have to try and hide their hard-earned money from you.

Andre, Machias, USA

How ridiculous! Shouldn't the German, British and American governments be focusing on that other little problem called Iraq which is costing the lives of service men and women everyday rather than re-enacting "The Mouse That Roared?"

Everett Alexander, San Francisco, USA

I can see this from the point of view of each side, though I do sway slightly more to Lichtenstein's argument that Germany should butt out. However, if a crime has been committed, Germany is reasonably (though not fully) justified in using such tactics.

What does interest me is what Brown would plan to do with any extra income gained from tracking down these tax-evaders. It does not matter how much money a country has at its disposal if they still insist upon frittering it away.

Brijit, Paris, France

Money goes where it is treated well. Wise up Germany and put your tax code in order!

Jason, Pittsburgh, USA

It isn't up to Liechtenstein ti implement the tax laws of another country. As long as the laws of Liechtenstein are adhered to within Liechtenstein, the onus is on the German Government stopping the money leaving Germany and not on Liechtenstein refusing to accept it. The Germans should stop their bully boy behaviour and put their own house in order.

Richard, Manchester,

Assuming Dr Manz-Christ has not been mistranslated, he is wrong. Tax evasion is tax fraud. How else can you describe deliberate concealment of income that is by law assessable to tax?

If everyone was honest in paying their tax the burden on those who are honest (usually the poorer, who cannot evade tax) would be less.

If you don't like the German package, convince your compatriots that the law needs to be changed, or move somewhere else. Cheating is wrong. Is that so difficult to understand?

James, Hong Kong, China

One way or another, Germany will run (ruin?) europe.

Arthur, Newcastle,

I find it interesting that Germany and others seem to have no problem in paying for what everyone knows is stolen property. Receiving stolen goods is still a crime, no?

Guy, London,

It is the overtaxation to blame, not the countries that have little or no taxation, why should they be penalized because of some inept governments not able to conduct the running of the nation on a more efficient basis? Cut the taxes and then you see that the money will stay in.

anthony, Chelmsford, UK

If this is so worrying, why are the Germans not also campaigning to sort out the EU Commission's failure to get the Accounts properly audited? Or are they too financially involved in the scams to support such action? This EU is becoming more corrupt thn Mugabe's Zimbabwe!

M. Cawdery, Portadown, UK

Perhaps the German government might like to consider annexing Liechtenstein, worked well for them with Poland...

Phil Jones, Oswestry, UK

Dr. Manz-Christ states that; "Tax evasion is not the same as tax fraud." Perhaps. But his moral splitting of hairs reminds me of a hot day in a sardine cannery: it's mighty fishy, and it stinks. Liechtenstein and Monaco are quaint little pretend kingdoms used by the rich to hide their ill gotten gains. Monarch? Of what? A bank? A cliff? They belong back in the world of 1912, not 2008. The problems facing the world are going to take everyone paying their fair share. This global masquerade of "secret bank accounts" must be held accountable.

Wilbur Varela, Los Angeles, california, usa

Now, if only the Germans were this serious about stoping Iran from getting the Bomb...

nir, Jerusalem, Israel

Sounds like an ideal opportunity for Brown and the Germans to get together, just like Bush and Blair did, and flex their muscles and invade. Might distract everyone from crooked MPs fiddling their expenses!!

Paul Downes, Milton Keynes, Bucks