EU removes Panama and Vietnam from tax-haven blacklist

The EU has removed Panama and Vietnam from its tax-haven blacklist, according to an ANP/AFP report published on Friday. EU countries say both have made progress towards meeting international standards for good tax governance. [1]

ANP/AFP reports that Panama had been on the list since February 2020. EU countries say it has reformed a tax exemption for foreign-source income that they considered harmful. The report says the OECD has also made a new assessment of Panama’s compliance with standards for providing tax information on request. [1]

ANP/AFP reports that Vietnam was added to the list in February 2026 after an OECD assessment found that it did not meet the same information-exchange standards. EU countries say Vietnam subsequently made reforms and received a new assessment. The report does not specify the ratings given in either country’s latest assessment. [1]