The Pacific Islands Region: Being On The OECD Grey List

Currently, six Pacific Island nations are listed on the OECD 'grey' list. This means that whilst the OECD considers them 'tax havens', they have substantially committed to implementing the OECD International Tax Standard.

These countries are:

a) the Cook Islands;
b) the Independent State of Samoa;
c) the Republic of Vanuatu;
d) the Republic of Nauru;
e) Niue; and
f) the Republic of the Marshall Islands, (together, the Grey List Jurisdictions).

Prior to being placed on the grey list, the Marshall Islands, Nauru and Vanuatu were on the OECD black list. This was due to their failure to give requisite commitments to the implementation of international tax standards by the OECD deadline of early 2002. The Cook Islands, Niue and Samoa made their commitments ahead of the deadline, resulting in their inclusion on the grey list. Once Nauru and Vanuatu made their commitments in 2003 and the Marshall Islands in 2007, they were removed from the black list and positioned