Brexit and Contracting

[m0n1k3r]

I think you're overplaying the simplicity that you think currently exists.

In true NLUK style......try a search. But as a starter for 10, try going to Holland to do a 3 mother using your UK LTD.

It depends on the country. If it is 'your own' company (as it usually is for UK contractors) then you may have to register the company as a foreign branch in the target country and sometimes also maintain a separate, local bookkeeping and taxes after some time - usually six months. The inverse is also true for EU contractors contracting in the UK.

The Netherlands and Norway both have a chain of responsibility so that if the self-employed contractor doesn't fulfil his/her tax obligations, the come to the agency instead, and if that doesn't work they go after the client until they get their money. Agencies are more risk adverse than banks and will never allow anything else (it doesn't help that they get some kickback from the local payroll/umbrella agency). You can get around it by contracting direct and setting up a Dutch business bank account and a Dutch G-account.

Belgium and France - just register with the tax authorities to get all the required registrations and numbers.

Sweden/Finland - register for a business taxes (or else the client/agency will have to take off income taxes and social insurance) and you're good to go.

[m0n1k3r]

Why stupid!

Why UK can't have bilateral agreements like Switzerland has?

The EU has already stated that it was a mistake to allow Switzerland to have that as the jungle of inderdependent agreements makes it very complex and expensive to administer. That option is not on the table.

[Addanc]

If we Brexit we will have to agree to free movement of individuals in return for a free trade agreement that we pay for in the style of Norway or Switzerland. ...

What a complete load of bollocks! The Swiss voted against free movement. You appear to believe that the EU has the nap hand, doesn't the EU as a whole have a 70 billion surplus with the UK. If the UK cannot negotiate a favourable deal then the UK walks away and lets the WTO tariffs kick in, it will hurt the EU more than the UK.

[Mordac]

It depends on the country. If it is 'your own' company (as it usually is for UK contractors) then you may have to register the company as a foreign branch in the target country and sometimes also maintain a separate, local bookkeeping and taxes after some time - usually six months. The inverse is also true for EU contractors contracting in the UK.

The Netherlands and Norway both have a chain of responsibility so that if the self-employed contractor doesn't fulfil his/her tax obligations, the come to the agency instead, and if that doesn't work they go after the client until they get their money. Agencies are more risk adverse than banks and will never allow anything else (it doesn't help that they get some kickback from the local payroll/umbrella agency). You can get around it by contracting direct and setting up a Dutch business bank account and a Dutch G-account.

Belgium and France - just register with the tax authorities to get all the required registrations and numbers.

Sweden/Finland - register for a business taxes (or else the client/agency will have to take off income taxes and social insurance) and you're good to go.

So much for all this "free movement" bollocks...

[MrMarkyMark]

So much for all this "free movement" bollocks...

Bollocks for the little man, that's for sure. Cushty if you are a big co however.

[SueEllen]

So much for all this "free movement" bollocks...

You are free to move.

However free movement doesn't mean you don't pay a country's domestic rate of tax.

They aren't the same thing.

[SueEllen]

Bollocks for the little man, that's for sure. Cushty if you are a big co however.

Not bollocks for the little man.

If you export goods, want to move for a permie position or want to move to retire you can do it much easier.

[MrMarkyMark]

Not bollocks for the little man.

If you export goods, want to move for a permie position or want to move to retire you can do it much easier.

True, but I meant contracting per se, sorry should have been more clear..

[m0n1k3r]

What a complete load of bollocks! The Swiss voted against free movement. You appear to believe that the EU has the nap hand, doesn't the EU as a whole have a 70 billion surplus with the UK. If the UK cannot negotiate a favourable deal then the UK walks away and lets the WTO tariffs kick in, it will hurt the EU more than the UK.

It is not impossible to grow sales to replace 64 million buyers. It is quite a bit harder but still not impossible to replace 450 million.

[m0n1k3r]

So much for all this "free movement" bollocks...

You are free to move, work and settle. You just have to comply with the local tax rules. We expect foreign contractors working in the UK to do the same. A foreign employer will do it for you. With your own company, you are the employer so you would have to take care of compliance.

A limited company in most other countries require two or more directors, a certain minimum share capital, sometimes VAT registration and auditors from the first day of trading etc. They also tend not to send the company's managing director to perform services to clients for any extended periods of time. It is quite a bit easier to be compliant then. The UK one-person company is a bit of an anomaly internationally-wise, but that has nothing to do with the EU. It would be precisely the same if you would obtain all the necessary permits to perform services in South Africa, Singapore, USA etc using your UK LtdCo.