UK and International Tax news

EU Updates List of Non Cooperative Jurisdictions for Tax Purposes

Friday 20th February 2026

The Council of the EU has issued its updated list of non-cooperative jurisdictions for tax purposes with several changes from that issued in October 2025.

The list is part of the EU’s efforts to promote tax good governance worldwide. It is composed of countries which fail to comply with agreed international tax standards or did not fulfil their commitments on tax good governance within a specific timeframe.

Two countries – Turks and Caicos Islands and Viet Nam – have been added to the EU list of non-cooperative jurisdictions for tax purposes (Annex 1).

The Turks and Caicos Islands have been added to Annex I following concerns raised by the OECD forum on harmful tax practices regarding the enforcement of economic substance requirements in the jurisdiction. Viet Nam has also been included after the OECD Global Forum’s review revealed that the country did not meet the necessary standards for the exchange of tax information on request

Three countries – Fiji, Samoa and Trinidad and Tobago – have been removed from the list as they now comply with all agreed international standards.

Annex 1 now consists of 10 jurisdictions, including American Samoa, Anguilla, Guam, Palau, Panama, Russia, Turks and Caicos Islands, US Virgin Islands, Vanuatu and Viet Nam.

In addition, the entries in Annex I for American Samoa, Guam, and the US Virgin Islands have been updated to reflect ongoing efforts to address compliance with certain tax cooperation standards. However, this progress was not considered enough to warrant their complete removal from the list.

The Council has also approved the usual state of play document (Annex II) which reflects ongoing commitments of those countries included to reform their legislation to adhere to agreed tax good governance standards.

Annex II did include 11 jurisdictions, being Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Brunei Darussalam, Eswatini, Greenland, Jordan, Montenegro, Morocco, Seychelles, and Turkey.

Antigua and Barbuda and Seychelles have both received a positive rating from the Global Forum regarding their systems for exchanging tax information on request. As a result, both jurisdictions have fulfilled their commitments and will be removed from the state of play document.

Brunei has been granted a six-month extension to reform its foreign-source income exemption regime. The additional time will allow Brunei to implement the necessary changes to be delisted.

Work on the list is a dynamic process and, since 2020, the Council updates the list twice a year. The next revision of the list is scheduled for October 2026.

If you would like more information on the above, please contact Keith Rushen on 0207 486 2378.

 

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