3 Jan 2018

US wants American Samoa and Guam off EU blacklist

8:30 am on 3 January 2018

The US Treasury Secretary has objected to the European Union's decision to put American Samoa and Guam on its blacklist of non-cooperative tax jurisdictions.

Steven Mnuchin has written to the Secretary-General of the Council of the EU, recommending the two US territories be removed from the list.

Euro vs US Dollar

Photo: AFP

Mr Mnuchin said as US territories, American Samoa and Guam participated in the international community through the United States.

Last month, the EU blacklisted 17 countries in a crackdown on tax avoidance, and put another 47 on a list to make reforms to avoid being labelled tax havens.

American Samoa, Guam, Palau and Samoa were named as non-compliant jurisdictions in the first EU blacklist of tax havens.

Six Pacific countries were put on the grey list: Fiji, Cook Islands, Nauru, Niue, Vanuatu and New Caledonia.