Company in France
Registration of SARL is the best way to start a business quickly and safely on a rich, though traditionally distrustful of foreigners, French market. Although it is possible to register a SARL company with a capital of EUR 1, it is customary to register with a standard capital of EUR 1,000, which inspires greater credibility among potential contractors.
Business in France
France is located in Western Europe and borders with Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Monaco, Spain and Andorra.
France is the third largest country in Europe and the second most populous in the European Union. As one of the ten largest economies in the world, France is home to an impressive number of foreign companies and is one of the best places for foreign investment in Europe.
How to open a business in France
French SARL company is the equivalent of a Polish limited liability company. A company in France must be created by at least two natural or legal persons, and the minimum share capital is 1 euro.
A limited liability company is a legal entity that has its own legal personality and is separate from the shareholders who run it.
If you plan to further develop your company in the next few years, registering your company in France is a great start, because it will allow you to add more shareholders in the future. The main advantage of a company in France is that it enables the protection of personal property. Registering French SARL means that the company is an independent legal entity, which means that it is not responsible for the debts generated by the company.
Company formation in France requires at least one person to act as Director and one person to act as Shareholder. The director and shareholder can be of any nationality and do not have to live in France. Director and shareholder data are available in the public register. A company in France may have a maximum of 50 partners, and if there are less than 25, no general meeting of shareholders is required.
To open a company in France it is required to shape the share capital of the new company. The standard currency for the company in France is EURO, and the minimum amount of share capital is 1 share with a value of EUR 1.00.
The share capital of the French company must be indicated in the Companies Articles of Association. Details of the shares must also be displayed in the company’s documents. Shares in your company are usually held by a notary or bank when setting up a French company.
Company name
Company registration in France involves choosing a name. When choosing a company name, you must ensure that all words in the name are in English or French. The name must end with a word, phrase or abbreviation such as the equivalent Limited (LTD), which is SARL.
France is quite strict when it comes to choosing a name for the company. Most company names are allowed unless they are used or similar to another company registered in the same industry.
Taxes in France
Company tax in France is called Impôts sur les societés. Corporate income tax is just one of the taxes companies must pay when operating in France. It is charged on all profits made by companies during the year.
Like most of the EU, the French tax system offers very competitive measures that make establishing a company in France very beneficial.
The tax authorities in France do not allow French companies to deal with companies seated in places traditionally considered tax havens.
Additional information
Every year when a company is registered in France, the French company must renew its registered office address and services of the Registered Agent. The French company is also obliged to keep accounting books. It must also meet certain accounting requirements.
Ready-made company in France / Purchase of a company in France
It is also possible to buy a company in France that is already registered. As a rule, a ready-made company in France exists for a relatively short time, did not run business before and was created for its subsequent sale. However, due to the uncomplicated legal regime regarding the establishment of companies, the purchase of a company in France may prove unprofitable.
