Reuters – The Council of the European Union on Tuesday added the Indian Ocean island state of Seychelles and the Caribbean countries of Belize and Antigua and Barbuda to a list of 16 nations and territories deemed “non-cooperative” on taxes.
The council said all three jurisdictions either lacked tax information or failed to deliver on commitments regarding governance and transparency reforms.
The list also includes Russia, Panama, five other Caribbean states and territories and six in the Pacific Ocean.
The EU broadly asks its members to take the list into account for diplomatic and economic decisions, and commits to stronger monitoring for transactions or taxpayers linked to these countries, and bans channeling some EU funds through them.
The Council said in a statement the three new additions lacked a “largely compliant” rating from the OECD’s Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes, though Belize had made commitments to improve within the next year.
Belize’s government blasted the move as an unjust “automatic” listing that disregarded reforms that addressed the Global Forum’s July concerns, adding it will request an immediate review.
Barring Russia, it said in a statement, the EU list only includes “small and vulnerable countries like Belize yet fails to include any EU member state” which were given the same Global Forum rating.
“The EU’s ‘listing’ process is devoid of the values of shared responsibility, mutual respect, accountability, fairness, and solidarity,” the government said.
Oxfam’s EU tax expert Chiara Putaturo also slammed the list as “toothless” for not screening the United States, the UK, or EU states such as Luxembourg and Malta, adding “countries deemed too big to be listed can no longer escape scrutiny.”
The EU Council did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Council also removed the British Virgin Islands territory, the Marshall Islands and Costa Rica from the list.
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If this terrible government was MORE transparent in ALL financial affairs, than the European Union wouldn’t have to take these drastic and draconian measures.
For 2 terms of the ABLP tenure, the autochthonous Antiguans have been constantly requesting OPEN governance and transparency in all financial affairs of the country.
Many of us still cannot understand why after 40 years of Birdism and Browneism, the water infrastructure is still in dire straights; St John’s is the ugliest and most decrepit town in the Caribbean.
Furthermore, the roads and highways are yet to be completed as yet.
But all Antiguans here from this WAFFLING government is that tourism is up, CIP is making millions for the country; and the 3-4 other money makers, NAMCO, YIDA and the newly invested Airlines are also meant to be beneficial to the country.
MY WORD 40 YEARS IS A LONG LONG TIME FOR BIRDISM AND BROWNEISM TO MAKE THINGS BETTER HERE SURELY?!
The mathematics of the ABLP just doesn’t add up, no wonder the EU looking into tax and finance.
Like me, the European Union can do maths as well …
Wow 😳😳 wow interesting we are back on this list question to the Athorities I’m still waiting on the Casroy James matter he was detained by the US on the Oderbrech investigation the Ambassador has been released Pending further Inquiries one time I heard that it was Harold Lovell but no if it was him he would have been escorted to the US in his Bright Orange Suit Then the question is who are they waiting to Interview and arrest PM is that you I may have to ask our Ambassador to OAS our Interlectual Arse Whole Two Sir Ron you bet that this weekend he will have a lot to say on this matter Gassy your time is coming Are you going into the Chinese Embassy when the time comes are we going to see Julian Asange time will tell
Well said @Brixtonian. And this corrupt, greedy government dares to use the word,”transparency!” But we should not be surprised. Gaston Browne lies with impunity. In parliament, supposedly our,”honorable house,”profaned by this pathological liar. Who can forget the rantings of this madman a few weeks ago?
Hey,while Antiguans play politics and the diseased,cool-aid drinking dunces swallow the lies the DAWG spurts,the world watches on,knowing very well what truth is. This was inevitable and there is more to come.
Imagine, the idiot speaks of additional taxes. What,850 million yearly is not enough? The rich are allowed to escape paying taxes. Fix that man,and let’s see.
Good for the EU.
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