Spain Removes Panama from Official Tax Haven List for 2023

According to an official bulletin from the Spanish government, the Ministry of Finance in Spain has excluded Panama from its official list of countries considered to be tax havens and non-cooperative jurisdictions, which will be in effect during 2023. The bulletin, dated February 9th, states that 24 countries remain on the list. The criteria for determining non-cooperative jurisdictions have been updated in accordance with international work conducted both within the European Union and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

The bulletin also explains that the list will be reviewed periodically based on international updates and national developments. In particular, when configuring the list, it is important to consider which countries and territories are effectively exchanging tax information with Spain, as well as other criteria such as those relating to zero or low taxation countries and territories.

Sources from the Ministry of Economy and Finance have stated that Héctor Alexander, the minister of the ministry, and Isabel Vecchio, the director of Financial and Fiscal International Strategy (Deffi) at the Ministry of Economy and Finance, held meetings in Spain at the same time that the list was made official.