European Market Entry Packages & Advisory Fees

A Private Limited Company (such as a German GmbH, Dutch BV, or Irish LTD) is the standard vehicle for operational businesses and startups. It limits shareholder liability to the share capital invested and requires lower minimum capital. A Public Limited Company (AG or PLC) is reserved for larger-scale operations, listed groups, or companies intending to raise capital on public stock exchanges, carrying stricter corporate governance, audit, and higher capitalization requirements (e.g., €50,000 for a German AG, €25,000 for an Irish PLC).

A VAT (Value Added Tax) number is required to conduct taxable commercial activities and collect consumption tax in the EU. An EORI (Economic Operators Registration and Identification) number is a mandatory identifier issued by national customs authorities for any business importing or exporting goods into or out of the EU. Both are required before your company can clear customs, sell goods/services locally, or open commercial bank accounts.

Timelines vary significantly by jurisdiction. Standard digital formations in Ireland (CRO) or Estonia (via e-Residency) typically take 2 to 5 business days once documents are submitted. However, incorporating in Germany (GmbH) or the Netherlands (BV) generally takes 2 to 4 weeks, as they require in-person or remote notary approvals, physical capital deposit confirmation from a bank, and registration in the national Handelsregister.

The choice depends on your business model, target market, and operational needs. Ireland is highly favored by tech startups and SaaS companies for its English-speaking business environment, common law system, and 12.5% active corporate tax rate. The Netherlands is a primary holding and logistics hub due to its extensive tax treaty network, IP box regimes, and advanced customs infrastructure. Estonia is popular for digital nomads and e-commerce startups needing a low-cost, fully digital administrative setup. Germany and France are typically selected when establishing a direct operational presence in Europe's largest consumer markets.

Corporate bank account opening is subject to strict Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Know Your Customer (KYC) regulations under the EU's AMLD5/6 directives. Traditional European commercial banks (e.g., Deutsche Bank, ING, AIB) often require in-person meetings with company directors or prefer companies with local resident directors. While some digital business banking platforms and fintech providers allow remote account setup, they enforce identical KYC/AML verification procedures, and approval is at their sole discretion. Opening is never guaranteed.

Every European corporate entity must: (1) file annual statutory financial accounts with the national company registry (e.g., Irish CRO, German Bundesanzeiger), (2) file annual corporate income tax (CIT) returns, (3) submit periodic VAT returns (monthly, quarterly, or via OSS), and (4) maintain accurate beneficial ownership records in the national UBO registry. Depending on the company's size (turnover, assets, employee count), a mandatory statutory audit may also be required.

A Registered Office is the official, legally registered physical address of the company in its member state of incorporation. It cannot be a post office box. It is where official government correspondence, tax assessments from national authorities, and legal notices (Service of Process) are served. Our packages include a compliant registered office address for the first year.

You must register for VAT with the national tax authority of the country where your business is incorporated. VAT registration is mandatory if you sell taxable goods or services locally. For cross-border B2C distance sales (digital or physical) within the EU, a unified annual threshold of €10,000 applies across all member states; once crossed, you must collect VAT based on the customer's country, which can be reported centrally via the One Stop Shop (OSS) system. Furthermore, storing physical inventory in any EU member state triggers immediate local VAT registration obligations in that country, with zero threshold.

In general, the European Union welcomes foreign direct investment, and non-EU citizens can own 100% of the shares in a Private Limited Company. There are no general citizenship or local residency requirements for shareholders. However, some member states require at least one director to be an EEA resident (e.g., Ireland, which otherwise requires a sovereign insurance bond or a structured exemption). Regulated sectors (financial services, defense, aviation) also carry specific ownership and security clearance restrictions.

A subsidiary is a separate legal entity owned by the parent (e.g., a German GmbH owned by a US Corp). It isolates liability within Europe and is subject to local CIT on its global profits. Under the EU Parent-Subsidiary Directive, profit distributions to the parent are often exempt from withholding tax. A branch is a dependent extension of the parent company; it does not limit the parent's liability and creates immediate permanent establishment (PE) risk, exposing the parent's accounts to local tax authority audits.

Yes. In addition to our package pricing, you must budget for national registry filing fees (typically €50 to €300) and mandatory notary fees in civil law jurisdictions like Germany, Spain, and the Netherlands (ranging from €500 to €1,500). Furthermore, companies must satisfy minimum share capital requirements (e.g., €25,000 for a German GmbH, of which €12,500 must be deposited prior to registration, or €45,000 for a Dutch NV).

Yes. Our advisory framework is fully modular. You can launch your legal entity under the Starter Setup and later add services such as localized VAT/OSS filings, transfer pricing documentation, bookkeeping, payroll configuration, and EU Blue Card immigration support as your operations scale.