1.27 Changes in tax treatment
At the present time, there is no Bermuda income or profits tax, withholding tax, capital gains tax, capital transfer tax, estate duty or inheritance tax payable by the Company or by its shareholders in respect of its shares. It cannot be certain that the Company will not be subject to any Bermuda tax in the future.
The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (the "OECD") has published reports and launched a global dialogue among member and non-member countries on measures to limit harmful tax competition. These measures are largely directed at counteracting the effects of tax havens and preferential tax regimes in countries around the world. In the OECD's report dated 18 April 2002, updated as of June 2004 and September 2006, Bermuda was not listed as a tax haven jurisdiction because it had previously signed a letter committing itself to eliminate harmful tax practices and to embrace international tax standards for transparency, exchange of information and the elimination of any aspects of the regimes for financial and other services that attract business with no substantial domestic activity. The Board is not able to predict what changes could arise from this commitment or whether such changes could subject the Company to additional taxes.