Urs Stirnimann
Managing Partner
ILC International Legal Consultants
United Arab Emirates
A Global Business
Hub
Urs Stirnimann
Swiss Management Services JLT, Dubai
10 April 2013
Overview
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General Info about the UAE
Major Free Zones of the UAE
UAE Offshore Companies
Double Tax Treaties
3 Forms of Companies
• Companies with local Partner or Service Agent
• Free Zone Companies
• UAE Offshore Companies
Free Zones
• Since 1985 Free Zones.
• 100% foreign ownership allowed.
• Freedom to repatriate capital and profits without
restrictions.
• No taxes.
• More than 30 Free Zones in UAE.
• Most of the service Free Zones like Internet City,
Media City, Healthcare City, Knowledge Village
are in Dubai.
• Masdar Free Zone in Abu Dhabi.
• Excellent conditions for specific businesses.
Offshore Company
• Since 2003, Offshore Companies
either from
• Jebel Ali Free Zone
or
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Ras Al Khaimah Investment Authority
No physical presence is necessary nor allowed.
Regulations similar to BVI and Jersey.
ILC International Legal Consultants Registered
Agent for such Offshore Companies.
List of Free Zones in Dubai
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Jebel Ali Free Zone
Dubai Airport Free Zone
Dubai Internet City
Dubai Media City
Dubai Studio City
Dubai International Media Production Zone
Dubai Knowledge Village
Dubai Outsource Zone
Dubai Logistics City
Dubai Gold and Diamond Park
Dubai Multi Commodities Centre / Jumeirah Lakes Towers
Dubai Cars and Automotive Zone
List of Free Zones in Dubai
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Dubai International Financial Centre
Dubai Industrial City
Dubai Maritime City
Dubai Carpet Free Zone
Dubai Technology Free Zone
Dubai Silicon Oasis
Dubai Flower Centre
Dubai Health Care City
Dubai Biotechnology & Research City
Dubai Textile Village
International Humanitarian City
Free Zones in other Emirates
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Sharjah Airport International Free Zone
Hamriyah Free Zone
Ajman Free Zone
Ahmed Bin Rashid FZ (UAQ)
Fujairah Free Zone
Ras Al Khaimah Free Trade Zone
Ras Al Khaimah Investment Authority
Masdar, Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi two four 54
Jumeirah Lakes Towers (JLT)
Dubai Multi Commodites Centre (DMCC)
• Swiss Tower
• Accepts nearly all activities
• 40 minutes by car from
Dubai airport
• 60 minutes bay car from
Abu Dhabi airport
• Next to expensive villas as
well as reasonable
apartments
• 2 metro stations
• near to Dubai Marina,
beach
Licenses
• Individual Shareholders
• Subsidiary
• Branch
Double Tax Treaties
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Algeria
Armenia
Austria
Belarus
Belgium
Bulgaria
Bosnia
Canada
China
Czech Republic
Egypt
Finland
France
Germany
India
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Indonesia
Italy
Korea
Lebanon
Luxembourg
Malaysa
Malta
Morocco
Mozambique
New Zealand
Morocco
Mozambique
New Zealand
Pakistan
Philippines
Poland
Romania
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Seychelles
Singapore
Spain
Sri Lanka
Sudan
Syria
Switzerland
Tajikistan
Thailand
Tunisia
Turkey
Turkmenistan
Ukraine
Usbekistan
Yemen
Double Tax Treaty Switzerland - UAE
•Signed: 6 October 2011
•Ratified: in 2012
•In Force: 1 January 2013
Double Tax Treaty Switzerland - UAE
Art. 10: Dividends
– Swiss withholding tax of 35%.
– Dividends of Swiss companies to UAE Sovereign Funds
exempted from Swiss withholding tax.
– Swiss Dividends to UAE shareholders:
Witholding tax reduced to
• 5% (if owning at least 10% of Swiss company)
• 15% (if less than 10%)
Double Tax Treaty Switzerland - UAE
Art. 25: Information Exchange
– In accordance with OECD model art. 26
– Fishing Expeditions excluded.
Double Tax Treaty Switzerland - UAE
Normal Swiss Withholding Tax on Dividends: 35%
Shareholder
UAE Company
>10% Ownership
Withholding Tax 5%
Swiss Company
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<10% ownership
Withholding Tax 15%
Swiss Company
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Residency in the UAE
Through Employment or Shareholder of a UAE Company
Work and Residence Permit
Renewable after 3 Years
(in some locations 2 years)
Only Condition:
Not to be outside the UAE for more than 6 months
ILC Offices
Dubai
Swiss ILC Management Services JLT
Urs Stirnimann
Managing Partner
Swiss Tower, Office 3601
P.O. Box 309057
Dubai, UAE
Tel: +971 4 374 0700
Fax: +971 4 374 0701
Email: us@ilc-group.net
Singapore
ILC International Legal Consultants
Bernhard Weber
Managing Partner
70 A Club Street
069443 Singapore
SINGAPORE
Tel: +65 6223 6096
Fax: +65 6223 9071
Email: info@ilc-group.net
www.ilc-group.net
Zurich
Doha
ILC International Legal Consultants
Michel Daillet
Managing Partner
Qatar Financial Center
P.O. Box 23245
Doha, QATAR
Tel: +974 655 0987
Fax: +974 438 3838
Email: md@ilc-group.net
Ritter Attorneys-at-Law
Richard Ritter
Founding Partner
Bahnhofstrasse 26
8022 Zurich
SWITZERLAND
Tel: +41 44 222 1515
Fax: +41 44 222 1500
Email: mail@rcrlaw.com