00:00The People's National Movement is taking its claim in the debate over TNT's removal from the European Union's list of
00:08non-cooperative tax jurisdictions.
00:10In a detailed media release, the PNM says the foundation for delisting was laid before the April 28, 2025 general
00:18election during its time in office,
00:21arguing that what is being celebrated today is the result of reforms executed years earlier.
00:27Trinidad and Tobago was officially removed from the EU list on February 17, 2026, following a decision by the European
00:35Union.
00:35But according to the PNM, the international assessments and compliance work that made the decision possible were completed prior to
00:43the UNC taking office.
00:45The party notes that meeting the EU's five delisting criteria required far more than passing laws on paper.
00:53It required demonstrating effectiveness, including audits, enforcement, compliance programs, and measurable outcomes over a period of two to three years.
01:03A major milestone, the PNM says, was the Global Forum's second round phase two on-site examination conducted between October
01:1121st and 25th, 2024.
01:14That review assessed whether TNT met international standards for the exchange of tax information on request.
01:21Following that examination, the country secured an overall largely compliant rating from the Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of
01:30Information for Tax Purposes,
01:33a key benchmark required for EU delisting.
01:36The release also highlights the signing of the OECD Multilateral Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters,
01:44known as the MAC, on November 7th, 2024.
01:48That move expanded the country's tax information exchange network from approximately 15 treaty partners to 148 jurisdictions.
01:58The PNM says those steps were backed by direct diplomatic engagement.
02:02The party also addressed the historical context of the listing.
02:06Former Finance Minister Korm Imbert says the PNM administration replaced the former Free Trade Zone regime with a special economic
02:14zone framework aligned to international standards
02:17and implemented legislative and administrative reforms to address each deficiency.
02:23While the formal EU delisting came in February 2026, the PNM insists recently published international reports reflect implementation efforts undertaken
02:33one to two years earlier.
02:35The political debate now centers not on whether the country met the standards, but on who deserves credit for getting
02:41it there.
02:42Arvashi Tawari, Rupanarain, TV6 News.
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