company registration

Switzerland is offering a very attractive business environment, including for foreign investors. The Swiss laws allow anyone, including foreigners to start a business in Switzerland, to form a company or to have a financial interest in one.

What you should know before you start your own business in Switzerland

However, there are certain conditions that are required. Only persons that hold a valid C permit, the spouse of a C permit holder or the spouse of a Swiss citizen have the legal right to start their own businesses in the country.

The Commercial Registry (“Handelsregister” in German or “Registre du Commerce” in French) provides most of the public information a foreign entity would have to know when doing business with a Swiss company. In act, it’s recommended to verify any Swiss business partner if they are registered with the Commercial Registry. The information provided by the registry are public and easy available for any interested party.

The legal form for a Swiss corporation is the “Aktiengesellschaft” (AG), which is governed by the Swiss Code of Obligations. This type of company is best suited for multinational corporations looking to expand their activity on the Swiss market.

The liability of the shareholders of an AG is limited to the unpaid amount of shares they hold within the company. However, it is enough to have only one shareholder, while there are no limitations regarding the maximum number of shareholders, thus making the AG a very flexible business structure.

Doing business in Switzerland is a great opportunity for many entrepreneurs and companies interested in investing their money into profitable and advantageous business ventures. Here are some important facts about the legislation, taxation system and overall business environment in Switzerland.

A trademark is a legally protected sign, used to distinguish products and services belonging to different businesses. Any graphic representations can be used as trademarks according to the law, including words, letter combinations, numericals, graphic images, slogans, three-dimensional forms, tones, or combinations of all these elements.