Foreign ministry defends Việt Nam’s tax transparency record after EU listing

February 22, 2026 - 17:05
Việt Nam says it is improving tax transparency and implementing a national action plan to carry out OECD recommendations and expand tax cooperation with partners, including the EU.
Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Phạm Thu Hằng. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam on Sunday responded to the European Union’s decision to place the country on its list of non-cooperative tax jurisdictions following an OECD peer review on exchange of information standards, stressing its commitment to transparency and international cooperation.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Phạm Thu Hằng said Việt Nam remains a responsible member of the international community and attaches importance to cooperation with the OECD to ensure a transparent and effective tax system and a stable investment environment.

The EU Council on February 17 added Việt Nam and the Turks and Caicos Islands to the list after the OECD Global Forum concluded that the country had not yet met standards on the exchange of tax information upon request.

Hằng said Việt Nam had revised and supplemented relevant regulations during the review process, including the Law on Tax Administration, the Law on Enterprise and Decree No. 168/2025/NĐ-CP on corporate governance, in an effort to better align with international standards on tax transparency and information exchange.

She added that the Government is implementing a national action plan to carry out OECD recommendations and expand tax cooperation with partners, including the EU.

Việt Nam stands ready to engage with European authorities to ensure a more objective and comprehensive assessment and to promote cooperation for shared development and prosperity.

The EU list forms part of the bloc’s efforts to promote tax good governance worldwide and currently includes 10 jurisdictions. — VNS

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