The OECD’s Global Forum has released new peer review reports assessing transparency and exchange of information on request for Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Cabo Verde, Palau, and the Seychelles. The reviews highlight overall progress in legal and regulatory frameworks, with Antigua and Barbuda and the Seychelles rated “Largely Compliant,” while three jurisdictions completed first-phase assessments focused on their legal frameworks.
The OECD has announced the publication of new peer review reports on tax information exchange for Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Cabo Verde, Palau, and the Seychelles on 21 January 2026.
The reports were approved by the Global Forum’s Peer Review and Monitoring Group in December 2025 and subsequently adopted by Global Forum members.
Due to their limited practice of EOIR, the reviews of Benin, Cabo Verde and Palau provide an assessment of their legal and regulatory frameworks only (Phase 1 of the review process). The legal and regulatory framework of these three jurisdictions was found to be overall in place. The second phase of their reviews, which will focus on the implementation of the EOIR standard in practice, will start by 2028.
Antigua and Barbuda and the Seychelles were assessed through a combined assessment of their legal and regulatory frameworks and the implementation of the standard in practice and have both been rated overall as “Largely Compliant” with the EOIR standard.
Since 2016, 129 jurisdictions have been fully reviewed in the second round of EOIR peer reviews and the ratings assigned are generally positive: 90% of the jurisdictions are rated “Compliant” or “Largely Compliant” with the standard, 8% are assessed as “Partially Compliant”, and only 2% as “Non-Compliant”.
A summary of the jurisdiction-specific findings and recommendations are as follows:
Antigua and Barbuda joined the Global Forum in 2009. Following a reassessment of its legal and regulatory framework and its implementation in practice, Antigua and Barbuda has been rated overall Largely Compliant with the EOIR standard. The latest review highlights significant progress since the jurisdiction’s previous assessment in 2023, including strengthened availability of ownership and accounting information, enhanced supervisory measures, and improvements in access to, and exchange of, information. To improve the availability of ownership information, Antigua and Barbuda undertook the administrative dissolution of approximately 13 200 International Business Companies (IBCs) during 2024–2025. In addition, around 3 500 IBCs opted for voluntary dissolution, ensuring that the remaining entities are in good order. Antigua and Barbuda also enhanced the availability of accounting records by introducing a legal requirement for IBCs to keep their accounting records with a local service provider. While some recent legal reforms still need to be demonstrated to be effective in practice, Antigua and Barbuda has addressed most of the key gaps previously identified and has improved its handling of requests for information received from its partners. Access the report
Benin joined the Global Forum in 2019. This first assessment concludes that Benin’s legal framework for availability, access and exchange of information for tax purposes is generally in place, even though certain improvements are needed. Benin relies on a combination of its tax law and anti-money laundering (AML) framework to ensure the availability of beneficial ownership information, but both frameworks have deficiencies and do not appropriately cover all types of relevant entities. Although Benin’s competent authority can exercise its access powers through its right to obtain information, these are limited by restrictions on obtaining information from certain AML-obliged entities. Benin has a wide exchange of information network as a party to the Multilateral Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters. The assessment of Benin’s practical implementation of the legal framework (Phase 2 review) will be launched in November 2028, at the latest. Access the report
Cabo Verde joined the Global Forum in 2018. This first assessment concludes that Cabo Verde’s legal framework for availability, access to, and exchange of information is generally in place, with some areas in need of improvement. Cabo Verde relies on its anti-money laundering framework to ensure the availability of beneficial ownership information, but this does not cover all relevant legal entities and arrangements and contains some definitional gaps. Although Cabo Verde’s competent authority has broad access powers to obtain all types of information, they may be limited by the broad scope of the professional secrecy provisions. Cabo Verde has a wide exchange of information network as a party to the Multilateral Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters. The assessment of Cabo Verde’s practical implementation of the legal framework (Phase 2 review) will be launched in September 2028, at the latest. Access the report
Palau joined the Global Forum in 2020. This first assessment concludes that Palau’s legal framework is generally in place, but certain areas relating to availability of information need improvement. Palau’s framework requires the availability of legal ownership information of relevant entities, though not in all cases. Furthermore, beneficial ownership information is available in Palau through the customer due diligence obligations in the anti-money laundering framework. However, since there is no requirement for legal entities or legal arrangements to have an ongoing relationship with a person subject to the due diligence obligations, Palau does not ensure the availability of beneficial ownership information for all such legal entities and arrangements. Palau’s competent authority has broad access powers to obtain information, and although Palau has not yet developed a network of information exchange agreements, there is nothing in Palau’s legal framework preventing it from exchanging information once an agreement comes into force. The assessment of Palau’s practical implementation of the legal framework (Phase 2 review) will be launched in September 2028, at the latest. Access the report
The Seychelles joined the Global Forum in 2009. Following significant progress made to address deficiencies in both its legislative and regulatory framework, as well as in its implementation of the EOIR standard in practice, since its second-round peer review in 2020, it has been reassessed and rated overall Largely Compliant with the standard in 2025. This progress allowed the Seychelles to improve its ability to provide information to its information exchange partners, although the response rate to requests for accounting information needs improvement. Furthermore, to ensure a fully effective exchange of information, the Seychelles must continue its supervision activities and related enforcement measures in respect to the availability of, and access to, the information. The availability of ownership information also needs to be improved for some entities through which nominee arrangements could be used to conceal the identity of the real owner of the shares. Access the report
The Global Forum is the leading multilateral body mandated to ensure that jurisdictions around the world adhere to and effectively implement the standard on transparency and exchange of information on request (EOIR) and the standards of automatic exchange of information (AEOI), covering financial accounts under the Common Reporting Standard (CRS) and crypto-asset transactions under the Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework (CARF). These objectives are achieved through robust monitoring and peer review processes. The Global Forum also runs an extensive capacity-building programme to support its members to implement the standards and help tax authorities make the best use of cross-border information sharing channels.
