Starting a business in Finland

[justb]

Hello everyone

So, i have a business idea i am thinking of starting here in Finland but I'm a little lost as to where to start regarding the laws on starting a business here. I am kinda passionate about my product and i think it will do well but i have a few questions that i am not sure where to direct them to.
My products will be manufactured outside Finland but sales will be made from here and shipped hopefully to various countries as well, do i need to register a company here? where do i go to register my company and how and where can i get advice on starting a business in Finland, laws on taxes, customs etc.
I basically need to talk to someone who can advice me with a clear direction. any ideas anyone on where i can go or what i can do?

Regards

[Rosamunda]

There is a huge amount of information on this forum already - search the threads. And you can get support for starting up a business from Enterprise Finland: https://www.yrityssuomi.fi/en/home

I suggest you read through all that and then come back here if you have any questions.

Do you have permanent residency inside the EEA (European Economic Area)? You have to have residency inside the EEA if you want to start a business in Finland. If you are resident here, no problem, you can go ahead and register your company (eg online at http://www.prh.fi)

It is quite possible to have products made in another country and then dropship them somewhere else but if your company is registered in Finland then you have to comply with Finnish rules and regulations eg concerning tax, bookkeeping, employment etc

You could also start up a company in another EU country such as Estonia. As long as you are an EU resident.

Entreprise Finland is the first place to look for info (they even run training courses in Helsinki and other cities which are free, look on their website).

[Helsinkiitos]

deleted

[Rosamunda]

https://www.prh.fi/en/kaupparekisteri/y ... luvat.html

https://www.yrityssuomi.fi/en/yritysmuodot

How many founders or owners does a company have? One person or several people, or an enterprise can set up a limited liability company. In Finland, a European Economic Area (EEA) resident may act as a private entrepreneur. Such a private entrepreneur (entrepreneur or self-employed person) is not a company, as he/she acts in his/her own name. In a general partnership, there must be at least two general partners (founders). A cooperative may be established by at least one person.

Generally speaking, the rules regarding the free movement of labour within Europe also apply to entrepreneurs starting up companies. There are no citizenship rules - just residency - for starting up a company in Finland. But I don't know anything about Holland. At least in Finland, you do not need to be resident in Finland in order to start up a company but you do have to have residency in the EEA. It is reasonably commonplace nowadays for Finns to establish a company in Estonia. http://www.euroviews.eu/2012/?p=3690

Of course, when you register a company, you need to give an address. The postal address of the company does not have to be the same as the home of the owner/founder of the business.

[Helsinkiitos]

Of course, when you register a company, you need to give an address. The postal address of the company does not have to be the same as the home of the owner/founder of the business.

Yup and then it gets too fishy for me... 'We just opened an office in Norway'. What it actually is: 'A small tiny mailbox in an office with lots of mailboxes, operated by a Norwegian company'.

Anyhow of course these work-arounds are possible, but not sure if the TS is interested in that at this point .

[Rosamunda]

I don't think it matters how big the offices are. A PO box ix fine. It's not a "workaround". As long as your business is registered and it follows the basic bookkeeping rules and tax legislation there is nothing fishy. A lot of business is done purely online nowadays - no need for bricks and mortar offices.

[betelgeuse]

I don't think it matters how big the offices are. A PO box ix fine. It's not a "workaround". As long as your business is registered and it follows the basic bookkeeping rules and tax legislation there is nothing fishy. A lot of business is done purely online nowadays - no need for bricks and mortar offices.

Finnish law also requires a visitation address (käyntiosoite). For example, everyone is required to be able to visit this address and see the list of shares and shareholders:

https://www.finlex.fi/fi/laki/ajantasa/ ... 0624#L3P17

[Rosamunda]

Fair enough. But presumably that "address" can be anywhere - it could be with someone who has no financial interest in the company... It's just an address.

[Helsinkiitos]

I don't think it matters how big the offices are. A PO box ix fine. It's not a "workaround". As long as your business is registered and it follows the basic bookkeeping rules and tax legislation there is nothing fishy. A lot of business is done purely online nowadays - no need for bricks and mortar offices.

Setting up a 'PO box' and paying tax in another country is the most common 'workaround' in business... And to me it sounds fishy (my opinion) when you try to avoid taxation in Finland, but in stead in another country because the tax rate is lower.

A lot of business is done purely online nowadays - no need for bricks and mortar offices.

Still there need to be boundaries in order to maintain the welfare state in Northern Europe. But anyhow, that's another question. We go off topic

For the topic starter: 1 second on google and I find a lot of info...

https://www.prh.fi/en/kaupparekisteri.html
https://www.vero.fi/en-US/Companies_and ... eig(15344)

They can help you

[justb]

Thanks alot guys. this has been helpful. i will read through the links and come back if i have more questions. And yes i have permanent residency in Finland.