There are many reasons for Offshore Company Incorporation owned - fully or partially -by an Israeli businessmen, entrepreneur or company. This also offers great advantages for local businesses and entities interested in expanding their activity and integrating it the international business community, or performing tax planning for liability reductions.
The great technological development of the last two decades, particularly in the areas of communication and information-technology, has created new business opportunities for making a profit. In many cases the foundation and operation of companies in foreign countries is necessary in order to take advantage of these opportunities.
There are a number of considerations that will lead a company to incorporate as an offshore company rather than as an Israeli company:
Tax considerations
Taxation is a very significant factor regarding the incorporation of companies abroad, and sometimes constitutes the main consideration or even the only consideration for taking such a step. Economic press has often discussed the different tax havens and the sophisticated ways for Israeli businessmen to reduce their tax liabilities; yet the issue of tax planning is much more complex and is not limited only to a small number of countries.
The issue requires, of course, a comprehensive examination and an expert opinion in order to meet the terms and requirements of the Israeli tax laws (or any country where the company's owners and managers reside).
Commercial Considerations
Moreover,, there are various commercial reasons for opening a company abroad:
Trading with friendly Arab States Israeli companies cannot have direct trade relations with Arab states who have no Diplomatic relationship with the state of Israel - mainly due to pressure applied by Arab colleagues. Nonetheless, many Israeli products and services find their way to these countries without exposing the merchants from these countries. One of the ways such trade is executed is through offshore companies fully or partially owned by Israelis.
Local Regulation Demands many countries do not allow foreign citizens to perform activities within their domicile without a local associate and/or company. For instance, many companies stipulate owning real-estate that purchase will be made only by a local firm, and so on. Furthermore, there are countries in which regulations applied to the activity of a local company are less strict than those applied to foreign companies. Thus, In these cases, establishing a local company will answer regulatory limitations and will facilitate the execution of current activity.
Local Market Demands in certain states, such as the American market; there is actual advantage when a company, a product or a service is perceived as a local one, rather than an international company. It is considered patriotic to use American products.
Experience shows that Israeli companies that failed to break through in the American market, managed to do so after they registered as a local company, even though their owners and managers were Israeli.
Market Norms and Rules certain markets are aimed towards specific target countries, usually as a result of strict regulations in these companies' origin state whereas there are more lenient regulations in the country of incorporation. Sometimes limitations existing in the entrepreneur's home-country do not exist in other countries and incorporation of an offshore company will enable proper legal execution of business activities.
Reduction of Production/ Delivery Costs production costs in Israel are high compared to many of the developing countries, such as China, India and Brazil, and compared to many countries in Eastern Europe. Thus, in case of a productive company with a high extent of sales in the European market, , it would be wise to establish a local company in a market with lower labor costs, such as Poland, and this way lower production costs. In addition, the geographic proximity to other European states will decrease delivery costs.
Local Bank Funding Local banks in countries where Israeli businessmen are active may limit the funding of transactions on the transaction only to local companies. Funding institutes worry about being dragged into overseas litigation and jurisdiction, and the actual existence of a company in geographic proximity, as well as the occasional existence of domestic laws in this respect, will require the establishment of a local company in light of the transaction project funding requirements.
Additional Considerations there are a few other reasons for the incorporation of Israeli owned foreign companies, such as the need to maintain discretion regarding asset holdings (for business reasons as well as personal ones), preventing creditors from reaching assets (tangible and monetary) during liquidation, local bankrupts who cannot incorporate Israeli companies and speeding up the transfer of funds in international trade deals while avoiding bureaucratic entanglement.
At Atlas Company we will examine with you the circumstances, business considerations and the motives for incorporating a company, in order to substantiate a business infrastructure in the country most suitable for you.
The great technological development of the last two decades, particularly in the areas of communication and information-technology, has created new business opportunities for making a profit. In many cases the foundation and operation of companies in foreign countries is necessary in order to take advantage of these opportunities.
There are a number of considerations that will lead a company to incorporate as an offshore company rather than as an Israeli company:
Tax considerations
Taxation is a very significant factor regarding the incorporation of companies abroad, and sometimes constitutes the main consideration or even the only consideration for taking such a step. Economic press has often discussed the different tax havens and the sophisticated ways for Israeli businessmen to reduce their tax liabilities; yet the issue of tax planning is much more complex and is not limited only to a small number of countries.
The issue requires, of course, a comprehensive examination and an expert opinion in order to meet the terms and requirements of the Israeli tax laws (or any country where the company's owners and managers reside).
Commercial Considerations
Moreover,, there are various commercial reasons for opening a company abroad:
Trading with friendly Arab States Israeli companies cannot have direct trade relations with Arab states who have no Diplomatic relationship with the state of Israel - mainly due to pressure applied by Arab colleagues. Nonetheless, many Israeli products and services find their way to these countries without exposing the merchants from these countries. One of the ways such trade is executed is through offshore companies fully or partially owned by Israelis.
Local Regulation Demands many countries do not allow foreign citizens to perform activities within their domicile without a local associate and/or company. For instance, many companies stipulate owning real-estate that purchase will be made only by a local firm, and so on. Furthermore, there are countries in which regulations applied to the activity of a local company are less strict than those applied to foreign companies. Thus, In these cases, establishing a local company will answer regulatory limitations and will facilitate the execution of current activity.
Local Market Demands in certain states, such as the American market; there is actual advantage when a company, a product or a service is perceived as a local one, rather than an international company. It is considered patriotic to use American products.
Experience shows that Israeli companies that failed to break through in the American market, managed to do so after they registered as a local company, even though their owners and managers were Israeli.
Market Norms and Rules certain markets are aimed towards specific target countries, usually as a result of strict regulations in these companies' origin state whereas there are more lenient regulations in the country of incorporation. Sometimes limitations existing in the entrepreneur's home-country do not exist in other countries and incorporation of an offshore company will enable proper legal execution of business activities.
Reduction of Production/ Delivery Costs production costs in Israel are high compared to many of the developing countries, such as China, India and Brazil, and compared to many countries in Eastern Europe. Thus, in case of a productive company with a high extent of sales in the European market, , it would be wise to establish a local company in a market with lower labor costs, such as Poland, and this way lower production costs. In addition, the geographic proximity to other European states will decrease delivery costs.
Local Bank Funding Local banks in countries where Israeli businessmen are active may limit the funding of transactions on the transaction only to local companies. Funding institutes worry about being dragged into overseas litigation and jurisdiction, and the actual existence of a company in geographic proximity, as well as the occasional existence of domestic laws in this respect, will require the establishment of a local company in light of the transaction project funding requirements.
Additional Considerations there are a few other reasons for the incorporation of Israeli owned foreign companies, such as the need to maintain discretion regarding asset holdings (for business reasons as well as personal ones), preventing creditors from reaching assets (tangible and monetary) during liquidation, local bankrupts who cannot incorporate Israeli companies and speeding up the transfer of funds in international trade deals while avoiding bureaucratic entanglement.
At Atlas Company we will examine with you the circumstances, business considerations and the motives for incorporating a company, in order to substantiate a business infrastructure in the country most suitable for you.
*הכותב הינו עידו הנדל, מנכ"ל חברת אטלס פתרונות אופשור בע"מ המתמחה בהקמת חברות בחו"ל http://www.atlas-os.com
