All duty-free concessions to business are to undergo a review

An extensive review of all duty-free concessions offered to companies in Antigua and Barbuda will take place later this year.

That’s the word from the highest executive authority in the country, the Cabinet.

“Cabinet has decided that effective November 30^th, all Tax Concessions granted to all businesses and entities in Antigua and Barbuda will cease to exist.  All businesses and active projects may re-apply to the Cabinet of Antigua and Barbuda effective 1^st December, 2025,” spokesman Maurice Merchant stated.

Merchant identified the rationale behind this decision of the Cabinet;
Policy Review and Alignment

• The government wants to review existing concessions to ensure they align with current economic priorities, sustainable development goals, and investment strategies.
• It allows Cabinet to reassess which sectors or projects truly need support and which can operate without tax incentives.

  Promoting Fair Competition

• As blanket concessions creates uneven advantages for some businesses over others.
• Ending existing concessions and allowing businesses to re-apply ensures a level playing field, where incentives are targeted to projects that bring real economic value, such as employment, innovation, or real development.

Encouraging Compliance and Accountability

• The need for re-application ensures that businesses and projects meet updated criteria and adhere to proper regulations.
• It strengthens transparency and accountability in the allocation of tax benefits.

Strategic Economic Planning

• This move gives the government an opportunity to align incentives with long-term national goals, such as green energy, tourism diversification, health and education development.
• This also allows the Cabinet to phase out concessions that no longer serve the country’s interests.