The European Union (EU) contains 27 countries and all of these culturally and geographically diverse locations provide the same business incentives when they open a European company and abide by the same commercial regulations.
After all, that is why these countries joined the EU? Well, actually, while most countries that joined the EU did so for economic stability, each country still reserves the right to adopt their own particular business stance and regulate their business practices and incorporation any way they see fit.
This means that there are opportunities for each business to match up to their specific goals and needs exactly with the country that specializes in that type of business when they open a European company.
Employment laws, tax and vat rates differ, setting up the company itself differs, and banking and local legislation differ from country to country. It’s important to look at this aspect when you are drawing up plans to set up in Europe and how this will impact your business.
European company to trade
If you want to open a European company to trade, Ireland may be a good starting point should you have staff and an office. When your EU Company Formation specialist files correctly, and in a very specific manner, your business can enjoy 0% corporate tax for 3 full years. After that, you can expect to pay a low 12.5 % on all trading income handled by your business.
Ireland is also positioned beneficially geographically for trade with North America, as are Portugal and Spain. And for those who need help staffing their new business, when you open a European company in Spain, recruiting labour can be handled by your Business Formation specialist in no time, since the unemployment level there is high, and dependable workers are easy to come by.
France is also a good hub if you are looking to import goods into France from the UK for example as there are no shortage of ports or airports to bring goods in. Northern France is attractive as there is higher unemployment compared to Paris and beneficial rentals for warehousing and physical offices.
Most countries will accept non-resident directors in Europe, it is important to review this to ensure that you are compliant and have set up a company in Europe in the correct way.
When you open a European company, do so with the aid of a respected, experienced EU Business Formation firm that uses business professionals on the ground in the country of your choosing. And make sure they are up to speed on the latest business benefits offered to non-resident ownership, and your EU incorporation experience will be as profitable and enjoyable as possible.
Which Country is Best?
Company formation in Europe has been growing in popularity as many Americans, Canadians and companies look to Europe to increase their profitability. Whether the motivation is access to new trading channels, the desire to open a virtual office and benefit from an overseas address, EC labelling and regulatory issues or a need for a physical branch office, company formation in Europe can appeal to many business owners. But with so many countries, city-states and municipalities to choose from for incorporation, where do you go?
The time to research many of these countries and their suitability for your business takes chunks out of your working day. Do you have the time to invest in research to ensure that you set up using trustworthy suppliers, finding translators to translate text for a specific country and then more translators to translate corporate documents or do you go to a professional that can project manage the whole company incorporation for you thereby reducing the time taken to get your new business up and running?
Contact us if you need a timely solution offered by an experienced professional. This is exactly what you should do when investigating company formation in Europe, for the quickest, least expensive, most efficient solution that matches your business needs.
Fortunately, some firms have been in business for years that understand the different needs in the different countries and cultures of the European business community. They employ local accountants and lawyers who “speak the language” both literally and in a business sense.
These respected, seasoned pros live in the communities you wish to incorporate in and can ensure that company formation in Europe is fast, efficient, inexpensive and head-ache free and that you end up in the country that best suits your needs.
Were you aware that some Departments in France roll out the red carpet for businesses coming into their region or that you may need to look at the business name in Spain to ensure that this will pass through the Chamber of Commerce? If it is too similar to other companies already registered in Spain this may lose you a week to register the name and then another if it is rejected again.
These and the myriad of other country-specific features are things only respected pros on the ground in these countries can provide you, and the reason why you should consult a seasoned firm who has handled company formation in Europe for years and can answer all your questions with a free consultation call.
One of the first questions that non-resident business owners ask when seeking to incorporate in a foreign country is, “What country should I choose for the destination of my business incorporation?” This is a sensible question because every country and every state or city in that country provides a very separate group of business advantages and disadvantages.
Non-residents seeking to establish a business presence in Ireland, for example, can expect their first three years of corporate tax at the very attractive and unbeatable 0% rate. However, what business owners need to know in regards to the labour and staffing ability of Ireland if they are opening a physical presence with a branch office may cause them to steer clear of Ireland altogether.
And if you are a business owner from some country other than Spain or Portugal, if you have needs for a trade route to access the European nations and add an excellent stream of income to your company, there can be a no better physical location for an import-export business than Spain or Portugal.
The centuries-old trade routes established there still provide one of the most effective bridges to Europe for Westerners of the last several hundred years, and there are several other attractive non-resident benefits.
And wherever you live, if your desire is simply to purchase a ready-made company, or shelf company, that has already passed all business regulations, you will need to know which country offers the most advantageous benefits at the lowest cost. Since you are simply purchasing a business entity with a pre-existing name and registration already okayed by the bureaucratic community in the country, city or state where it is registered, knowledge of your liability as a foreign business owner is paramount.
The best possible way to choose the correct country, city or state out of all the global choices when considering the worldwide company formation is to have experienced incorporation globally in the past. If you have not, or if you’ve only incorporated in a few countries worldwide, you must turn to a respected, seasoned worldwide company formation specialist who has a vast and intimate knowledge of the cultural and business requirements and regulations that must be met to provide you with a successful business presence in that locale.
How can any single firm possibly know the entire globe’s many countries’, cities’ and states’ diverse cultural and corporate regulations? The only way is by cultivating established relationships with respected business professionals, attorneys and accountants over the years who actually live and work in the area in which you end up incorporating. Then and then only can they properly answer your questions on a free consultation call or live online chat session, and lead you to the proper destination to maximize your chances of success in your global company formation efforts.
Company Formation for the Foreign Investor
Company formation for the foreign investor may at first seem like a very involved and daunting proposition. Whether you live in the United States and want to form a company in Germany or some other overseas country that offers great benefits to the foreign-based investor, are you are a European looking to benefit from the wonderful tax strategies offered in the United States to non-resident investors, company formation is actually not as difficult and mind-numbing as you may think.
Regardless of your country of origin, and the country in which you intend to incorporate, there are a few basics that you need to get right to make the incorporation of your business overseas a resounding success, and without causing you stress and needless worry.
First and foremost, you want to take the advice of someone who’s been there before. The old saying that “there is nothing new under the sun” is certainly true. Some firms specialize in company formation for foreigners who may not have a chance to travel to the city or country where they would like to incorporate.
Call us on +44 (0) 20 8421 7470 or contact us via the website for help and advice.