The Swedish government plans to lower corporate taxes in two stages from 22% down to 20.6%. The rate is to fall to 21.4 percent from Jan. 1, 2018 and to 20.6 percent in 2021, Finance Minister Magdalena Andersson said on Wednesday.

At the same time, the intention is to take measures against aggressive tax planning and make the tax system more transparent. This will involve new rules on deductible interest payments which have been quite generous so far. The proposal includes restrictions for deductible interest payments in certain cross-border situations (hybrid rules) as well as restrictions for deductible interest in certain internal loans. New rules on financial leasing agreements are also to be expected.

The original plan was to reduce the corporate tax rate to 20% (the prevailing rate in Finland).

Despite cultural, economic and business differences the Nordic countries have many positive aspects in common. The choice of where to locate a business in this part of the world will naturally depend on the specific nature of the business in question. Scandicorp will happily discuss with you about the benefits of a specific country for your business. In this article, we will look at 10 good reasons for a foreign business to establish a presence in the Nordic countries (Norway, Sweden and Finland).

1. High international rankings

The Nordic countries rank very high in international benchmarks in the top places of the most secure and best places to live, least corrupt countries and one of the best health systems in the world.

2. Reliability

Everything works. If something doesn’t work, it will usually be addressed as soon as possible. You save a lot of time and nerves when you can rely on the infrastructure, logistics and timekeeping etc.

3. English

Most Nordic people are fluent in English and will be more than happy to practice their English with you. Although a basic understanding of the local language will make everyday life easier for you.

4. Highly skilled workforce

Thanks to a good public schooling system and a high overall level of education, recruiting locals will be relatively easy in most fields of business.

5. Moderate corporate taxes

The Nordic countries have traditionally been perceived as high-tax jurisdictions. However, the corporate tax rates are very moderate in international comparison.

6. Business environment

The Nordic countries have a very strong financial sector, a stable, ethical and predictable business environment. This provides a solid base for a long-term business solution. Good logistics thanks to modern airports, efficient ports and railways.

7. Lively startup scene and pioneering new technology

The governments of the Nordic countries as well as local communities have encouraged and supported research and development, the creation of start-up hubs and events. The atmosphere for start-ups has proved to be very inspiring.

8. Relatively easy to find local partners

It’s good to find local partners who you could collaborate with on common projects as this will help build your credibility.

9. Over 25 million consumers

In a consistent market with a strong purchasing power due to the relatively high GDP per capita.

10. Good places to test new ideas and products

Nordic consumers and businesses are among the first to adapt to technologically, new products and concepts. Testing your new products and technologies in the Nordics first before going global may be a smart move.

The Swedish government will propose a corporate tax cut to 20%, down from present 22% according to Finance Minister Magdalena Andersson and Deputy Finance Minister Per Bolund. The corporate tax rate of neighboring Finland has been 20% for some years now.

The proposed changes also include limitations to the deductibility of interest payments for companies. The aim of the proposal is to make equity financing more attractive compared to loans. The ministers stated that aggressive tax planning will become more difficult due to reductions in the deductibility of interest.

“With the proposals we want to strengthen competitiveness and create a more dynamic business climate,” they said on business daily Dagens Industri’s website.

The Finance Ministry will today circulate a Memorandum to interested parties.

The proposed changes would be implemented on July 1st, 2018.

Yesterday the Swedish government submitted a proposal to the Parliament for a tonnage tax system that allows Swedish shipping companies to operate under competitive conditions similar to other countries in Europe. The aim of the government is to increase the competitiveness of the Swedish merchant fleet and increase the number of Swedish flagged vessels.

“Tonnage tax has been eagerly awaited by the business community and I am pleased that we will now have a system of tonnage tax in place. I look forward to seeing more Swedish flag vessels.” says Magdalena Andersson, Minister for Finance.

Tonnage tax implies that the taxable income of qualified shipping operations are determined at a flat rate based on the net tonnage of the vessels, regardless of income and expenditure. One of the benefits of a tonnage tax system is that the tax matters will be less important for a shipping company’s investment decisions.

Tonnage tax will be optional. Shipping companies who wish to enter the tonnage tax system rather than being taxed conventionally will have to apply for tonnage tax in advance. An approval for tonnage tax will be valid until further notice. The company may as a rule, leave the system at the earliest after ten fiscal years.

The new provisions would enter into force on 20 July 2016 and applied for the first time for fiscal years beginning after December 31, 2016. One condition is that the European Commission approves the proposed rules.

Read more (Swedish)

Forbes gauged the World’s Best Countries for Business by grading 144 nations on 11 different factors: property rights, innovation, taxes, technology, corruption, freedom (personal, trade and monetary), red tape, investor protection and stock market performance. Denmark scored first, Norway third, Sweden fifth, and Finland sixth. New Zeland was second and Ireland fourth.

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Today the Nordic countries have small company provisions making it unnecessary to appoint an external auditor if certain conditions depending on size of turnover, number of employees, and size of balance sheet are met. In the start-up phase of a company it may seem appropriate to save on costs and revert to the issues of appointing an auditor later on.

A frequently asked question by SCANDICORP clients setting up companies in the Nordic region is whether they should appoint an auditor in connection with incorporating the company or save that decision until later.

In most cases our advice to the client has been that it makes sense to appoint a qualified external auditor from the very start in connection with registering the company. Naturally this will depend on the business activities of the company, the structure of ownership, appointed directors and other factors to be considered on a case-by-case basis.

The Pros of having an external auditor:

• Clients, suppliers, collaborators, banks and other parties involved with the company will be more comfortable in their dealings with the new company.
• There is less risk of unforeseen problems due to the professionalism and qualifications of the auditor.
• A way to ensure that the company complies with legal and tax regulations.
• Having access to independent advice and guidance on short notice from someone who knows the company.
• Giving the shareholders assurance that the accounting, management and directors have performed up to required standards.
• A foreign investor or director in a Nordic company, not being totally aware of local rules and regulations, will be more comfortable compared to if the company has no external auditors.
• The tax office may also be more comfortable with tax returns from an audited company.

The Cons of having an external auditor:

• The costs associated with external audits.
• Faster preparation of Annual Reports and tax returns.

SCANDICORP is happy to introduce clients to qualified external auditors suiting their particular needs. Some clients may opt for one of the international “Big Four” firms or maybe the next tier of international firms that are all present in the Nordic countries, while other clients might prefer a smaller local audit firm more suited for their particular business.

The Nordic countries ranked high in the world for doing business by the World Bank’s annual Doing Business 2016 report.

Surveying a total of 189 countries, the list is widely considered the most authoritative in the world.

The index takes into account regulations that affect facilitating the smooth flow of business. A total of 10 different areas were assessed, included everything from starting a business, to dealing with construction permits, getting credit, paying taxes, trading across borders and enforcing contracts.

Denmark ranked third, Sweden, Norway and Finland as eight, ninth and tenth. repectively

Singapore once again topped the list this year, followed by New Zealand.

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On October 7th, 2015 the Norwegian conservative government presented both the 2016 budget proposal and a white paper for a tax reform. The budget proposal as well as the white paper have taken into consideration the proposal from the Scheel Committee delivered to the Government on 2 December 2014.

Some basic points of the 2016 fiscal budget:
• Reduction of the corporate tax rate from 27% to 25%
• Tightening of the interest deduction limitation rule from 30% down to 25% on interest paid to associated companies calculated on interest, taxes, depreciation and amortizations
• Increasing tax deductions allowed for R&D
• The assessment of whether the participation exemption applies at the fund investment level is no longer based on whether the relevant fund qualifies as a bond investment fund and equity fund. Instead, the assessment of whether the participation exemption applies is based on the mix of investments carried out by the fund.

Some basic points of the white paper:
• Reduction of the corporate tax rate down to 22% BY 2018
• Introduction of withholding taxes on interest, royalties, and certain forms of asset leases (in particular bare boat charters)
• The government rejects the Scheel Committee’s proposal to eliminate withholding tax on dividends to shareholders in normally taxed jurisdictions
• An introduction of a statutory general anti-avoidance rule (GAAR) and narrowing the Norwegian concept of a company’s place of residency in line with the Scheel Committee’s proposal
• Possible lowering of the permanent establishment (PE) threshold under Norwegian domestic law
• Changes in CFC rules
• Introducing a withholding tax on outbound interest payments

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On August 11th the Finnish crane and lifting company Konecranes announced an all-stock merger with the Connecticut based heavy equipment company Terex corporation. The new company will be based in Finland and be an industry leader with $10bn in annual revenues and a combined market value of $5.7bn. According to Financial Times the new company will be able to take advantage of Finland’s 20 per cent corporate tax rate — rather than the 35 per cent rate for US companies.

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Download our Corporate Fact Sheets today, for free. You will get a PDF document which is easy to read with an overview of how to establish in Sweden, Finland or Norway. Choose a country by pressing one of the brochures: Download for free! The Corporate Fact Sheet will help you to compare common business forms in each country and you can also read about tax, VAT rate, accounting period, name restrictions and foreign exchange controls etc.

Expand your business to Scandinavia, we will help you on the way. Contact us today!