OECD Puts Cayman Islands on Tax 'White List'

The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) added the Cayman Islands to its ‘white list’ of jurisdictions that substantially implement international tax standards.

The Cayman Islands recognition came about after the country signed its twelfth Tax Information Exchange Agreement (TIEA) with New Zealand, on 13 August 2009.

“For over four decades the Cayman Islands has steadily earned its place as a world-class international financial services centre." Leader of Government Business/Premier Designate, the Honourable McKeeva Bush said, "The Cayman Islands Government sees the OECD’s recognition as a natural outcome of the country’s substantial commitment to uphold an equally world-class international cooperation regime in the exchange of tax information.”

Jeffrey Owens, Director of the OECD’s Centre for Tax Policy and Administration, welcomed the signing which puts Cayman Islands “alongside other countries that have substantially implemented the internationally agreed tax standard.”

The Cayman Islands’ maintains 12 bilateral tax information arrangements with the following countries: Denmark, Faroe Islands, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Ireland, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, United Kingdom and the United States.