Summary

• Trinidad and Tobago has been removed from the EU list of non-cooperative tax jurisdictions.
• The decision was taken by the EU Economic and Financial Affairs Council on February 17, 2026.
• The EU and Trinidad and Tobago credited years of cooperation and reforms to meet global tax good-governance standards.
• Key changes included replacing the former Free Trade Zone regime with a Special Economic Zone framework and upgrading tax transparency rules.
• Government and EU officials say the delisting boosts international confidence and supports deeper EU–T&T partnership.

 

By Prior Beharry

TRINIDAD and Tobago has been officially removed from the European Union’s list of non-cooperative tax jurisdictions, following a decision taken by the EU Economic and Financial Affairs Council on February 17, 2026.

The delisting follows several years of engagement between the Ministry of Finance and EU authorities to bring the country in line with internationally agreed standards on tax good governance, a joint release by the EU and Finance Ministry stated on Wednesday.

EU Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago Cécile Tassin, welcomed the move, saying the country’s progress “is impressive” and should be commended, describing it as a positive sign for strengthening ties between both sides.

Finance Minister Davendranath Tancoo also hailed the development as a major milestone, saying it reflects the Government’s commitment to “transparency, fairness and adherence to internationally accepted standards.”

He said it would help strengthen confidence in the country’s economic and regulatory frameworks. He thanked EU partners for recognising the reforms and said Trinidad and Tobago looked forward to deeper collaboration as it works toward a modern and globally integrated economy.

The EU tax listing process is designed to support global efforts to combat tax evasion and avoidance, improve transparency, and promote fair taxation. Officials said meeting the EU’s requirements reinforces Trinidad and Tobago’s standing as a cooperative international financial partner and supports broader efforts to reduce illicit financial flows.

A key measure cited in the reform programme was the replacement of the country’s former Free Trade Zone regime—previously deemed harmful—with a Special Economic Zone regime aligned with international standards.

Trinidad and Tobago also moved to strengthen tax transparency between 2024 and 2025. The country signed the OECD Multilateral Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters in November 2024, and in July 2025 received a “Largely Compliant” rating from the Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes for exchange of information on request. In December 2025, the Global Forum confirmed the country’s legal framework met standards for the automatic exchange of financial account information.

In addition, Trinidad and Tobago addressed recommendations under the OECD/G20 Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) Inclusive Framework related to Country-by-Country reporting, aimed at preventing multinational companies from shifting profits to avoid tax.

EU and local officials said the combined measures completed a broad reform agenda, clearing the way for the February 2026 decision to remove Trinidad and Tobago from the EU list.