[evangineer]

When my business partner told me about the cost and effort in setting up a GMBH I was shocked. In London, we got our Ltd company registered with Companies House for well under 100GBP in about 3 hours. We were registered the same day we submitted our application.

I like Berlin, but I wouldn't incorporate over there and the winters in that part of the world are too cold for me!

[eru]

You can use British Limiteds in Germany as well. It's all part of EU goodness.

[fdiotalevi]

That's true, you can.

On the other side, tax authorities actively try to punish foreign companies operating in Germany with taxes like the Außensteuergesetz (AStG); applicability varies from country to country, from case to case, and in my experience if you ask two accountants whether your Ltd is subject to AStG, you'll get 2 opposite answers.

[eru]

Thanks for mentioning the Außensteuergesetz. I wonder how they square that with EU competition rules.