In 2014 Ireland was voted by Forbes as the best country in the world to do business in 2014. In Ernst & Young’s Globalisation index for 2012, Ireland was considered the most globalised western economy in the world. As well as low corporate taxation of 12.5% (0% for some companies until 2018) Ireland offers many advantages.
The term ’offshore’ is not used in Irish legislation or in describing company forms. In Ireland there are no specific forms of company or other entities designed for offshore operation.
LEGAL FORM
A private limited companies are the most common form of business entity used in Ireland. The essential features of such company are that the liability of members is limited to the amount of share capital subscribed to. Name of the company: Irish companies must use the suffix Limited or Ltd. to denote limited liability and can use any name unless it includes words such as Empire, Crown, Imperial, Windsor, Royal, Assurance, Bank, Building Society or any other words deemed sensitive or offensive. Special consent is required for names such as European or International.
CONSTITUTION
A company is formed by submitting its Constitution to the Registrar of Companies along with the registration fee. Constitution permits a company to trade in any legal business.
SHAREHOLDERS
The minimum number of shareholders is one, the maximum number of shareholders is 99in the case of a private company. Corporate shareholders are allowed. Shares may be held jointly by two or more people.
SHARE CAPITAL
Authorised share capital is ally 10,000 Euros or above, with 100 shares issued. There is no capital duty payable on the issue of shares in limited companies. Stamp duty is payable at a rate of 1% of the market value on the transfer of shares in all companies. If the value of the consideration or the market value of the shares is less than Euro 1,000, the stock transfer form does not have to be stamped.
DIRECTORS AND SECRETARY
A Private Limited Company (LTD) can have a single director, once a separate Secretary is appointed. At least one of the proposed Directors of the company must be Resident within the European Economic Area (EEA). Corporate entities are not permitted to act as directors. In the absence of a “resident” director an insurance bond in lieu in the sum of 25,395 Euro must be lodged. The cost of maintaining of such insurance bond is around EUR 980 p.a. If at least one of the Directors is an EEA Resident, the non-resident directors bond is not required.
Every company is required to have a company secretary, and individuals or corporate entities may hold this position.
REGISTERED OFFICE
The Registered Office Address of the Irish company must be in Ireland and must be recorded in the Companies Registration Office. This address may be changed at any time by notifying the relevant authorities at the Companies Registration Office. The trading address of the company may be different from that stated as the registered office. All official correspondence is sent to the registered office.
MEETINGS
It does not need to hold an AGM.
TIME NEEDED FOR FORMATION
Usually it is 3-7 working days.
RECURRING AND MAINTENANCE FEE AS FROM 2ND YEAR
- Provision of registered office and registered address
- Provision of company Secretary
- Submission of Annual Return
TAXATION
- No withholding tax on the payment of dividends by the holding company to EU or tax treaty countries.
- No Capital Gains Tax on the disposal of shareholdings in subsidiaries.
- No transfer pricing, thin capitalisation or CFC rules.
- Tax deductions for interest on borrowings to acquire shareholdings in subsidiaries.
- Favourable treatment on the receipt of dividend income.
- Extensive Tax Treaty network and access to EU Parent-Subsidiary Directive.
- Low tax rates for both trading operations and investment activities.
By agreement with the European Commission, Ireland has a single low rate of tax on trading income of 12.5%. This rate applies to active income from all operations and creates many new opportunities for overseas companies in Ireland that might not previously have qualified for a low rate of tax. The overall tax burden in Ireland is second lowest among all other EU Member States. A company resident in Ireland for tax purposes is subject to corporation tax on its world-wide income. A company may be resident in Ireland under either the incorporation test or the management and control test. With some exceptions, a company incorporated in Ireland is automatically considered to be Irish tax resident.
AUDIT AND FINANCIAL RETURNS
All companies registered in Ireland must file annual returns showing details of shareholders and directors. A company must have an auditor, and accounts must be filed each year with the Companies Registration Office. Small companies can prepare abbreviated accounts, which do not have to include the level of turnover.
OUR SERVICES FOR THE COMPANY FORMATION IN IRELAND INCLUDE:
- Name check and approval
- Filling incorporation documents with the Registrar of Companies
- A standard set of original corporate documents
- Payment of the Government fees
- Provision of registered office, agent and company Secretary
- Rubber stamp
DOCUMENTS REQUIRED FOR THE COMPANY FORMATION
Please provide the following documents for all Directors, Shareholders, Beneficial Owners, Authorized Signatories:
- Notarized copy of valid passport.
- Original or Certified copy of utility bill / bank statement (as verification of residential address, dated within 3 months).
- Original or certified copy of Banker’s reference letter (dated within 3 months).
- In cases where shareholders are corporate bodies, full apostilled set of corporate documents and Certificate of Good Standing (for companies registered more than 1 year).
SHIPPING COST
Shipping of corporate documents or banking kits to your destination requires an extra charge and will be automatically added to the invoice during checkout. Shipping costs for international courier services are set automatically and can vary from USD 75 to USD 95. The fees depend on the jurisdiction of your ordered company, the country where the bank is based as well as your destination country.
IMPORTANT NOTE: LICENSABLE BUSINESS ACTIVITIES
If you conduct any activity without required license or authorization granted by a relevant authority in any jurisdiction, EFSAG will not be able to assist you with the company formation or bank account opening related to such unlicensed activity.
Licensable activities include, but not limited to: provision of financial services involving trading/brokerage in foreign exchange, financial and commodity-based derivative instruments and other securities; offering investment advice to public; insurance and banking business; operation and administration of collective investment schemes and mutual funds; payment processing services; money exchange, money transmission or money brokering; asset management; safe custody services; gaming, gambling and lotteries.
Please contact us if you need our assistance in licensing of your financial, Forex brokerage or gambling company.
