The Corporate Tax Reform III has been approved by the Swiss Parliament. This tax reform was created in order to preserve Switzerland’s attractiveness as a location for multinational companies that want to take advantage of a more relaxed taxation.
Conducting business activities in Switzerland presents massive prospects for business-owners and firms looking to make investments in a lucrative and stable market. The following are some of the most pertinent facts concerning the legal regulations, tax policies and the general Swiss business setting in Switzerland.
The Swiss business environment is perfect for multinational companies (MNCs).
The legal form for a Swiss corporation is the “Aktiengesellschaft” (AG), which is governed by the Swiss Code of Obligations. This type of company is best suited for multinational corporations looking to expand their activity on the Swiss market.
Switzerland is offering one of the most competitive business environments, not only on European level, but also globally. This is a consequence of the business – friendly strategy adopted by the Swiss government.
The United States of America and the Swiss Confederation have signed a convention regarding the avoidance of double taxation concerning income taxes, which became effective on January 1 1998.
Products and services offered by Swiss companies enjoy a very good reputation on global level, due tot positive references on quality, authenticity and precision regarding products “made in Switzerland”.
A quarter of the staff employed in Switzerland is made up of foreigners. They are the holders of a work permit and a residence permit. For foreigners who want to invest and operate their own business in Switzerland or managers of foreign companies, especially those firms generating jobs, getting the residence permit and the work permit is not a problem.
The Commercial Registry (“Handelsregister” in German or “Registre du Commerce” in French) provides most of the public information a foreign entity would have to know when doing business with a Swiss company.
