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Choosing the Right Country for your Business

If you are a US based online business or you are based in any other Non-EU country, it’s often a question of time before you inevitably feel the urge to enter the EU market and offer your goods or services to European consumers and companies. The first step in setting up your EU structure and servicing the European market consists of choosing the right jurisdiction to incorporate your business.

A Multitude of Factors

The selection of the proper jurisdiction for your EU company depends on a multitude of factors. To narrow down the field, it’s important to carefully consider your goals. Do you wish to build value in the EU and aim for an exit within a number of years? Is your contemplated structure overwhelmingly focused on tax minimization? Are you seeking a light EU footprint or do you wish to hire a large number of local employees? Does your business require any particular licensing?

Important Considerations

Depending on your goal, you can quickly limit the number of countries which might fit your game plan. If your goal is tax driven, the lower taxed EU jurisdictions come to mind. If you wish to hire a large number of employees, it’s important to incorporate in a country where there is sufficient local talent for you to recruit. It may also be relevant for you if the population largely speaks English. Budget restraints might compel you to also look at some Eastern European countries where there are increasingly talented tech employees present for a much better price than say the United Kingdom. This is all food for thought…

Keep it Practical

An important element informing your choice for the future jurisdiction of your EU company, is whether the jurisdiction is a practical option for you. For instance, keep in mind that some jurisdictions require you to have a local director on the board of your company. So if there is a jurisdiction where you have good relationships with people on the ground who can serve as employees or even offer your company director services, you should keep this in mind. Furthermore, for purposes of substance and often operations, it will help tremendously if the jurisdiction you choose is one which you have to (and want to) regularly visit. The times of simply choosing a jurisdiction and never appearing there are over.

Hardened by years of experience in the various factors at play in the multinational structuring of an online business, we can guide you through the various considerations described above and assist you in making the right decisions.