The 15-member Caribbean Community (CARICOM) grouping says it “deplores the ongoing unilateral, arbitrary and non-transparent blacklisting strategy” employed by the European Union (EU) to Caribbean countries.
“The most recent inclusion of CARICOM states to the blacklist of alleged non-cooperative tax jurisdictions and jurisdictions identified as being deficient in the area of Anti-Money Laundering/Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT), underscores the EU’s unwillingness to take into account the substantial progress made by CARICOM Member States at compliance with global standards,” CARICOM said in a statement.
It said moreover, the unquestioned use of ratings from other international bodies as a determining factor in the decision to list a jurisdiction along with the absence of meaningful prior consultation with the affected states “negates the spirit of partnership and multilateralism that has characterized the relationship between CARICOM and the EU”.
