To receive
monthly updates on new features in lowtax.net
and tax-news.com just enter your e-mail address
below:
Daily
Tax Quote
New On The Network Today
This feed is published daily with selected new or updated
content from across our network. For a list of network sites, many of
which feature daily news, see below.
Providing essential tax news and information for globally
mobile artists, contractors, entrepreneurs, professionals, small businesses,
sportspersons and entertainers.
Lowtax Network Sites
Lowtax Network Portal:
'Low-tax' business and investment in the top 50 jurisdictions covered in
exceptional detail.
Tax News: Global
tax news, continuously updated through the day.
Law & Tax
News: Daily news and background data on tax and legal developments
for international business.
Offshore-e-com:
A topical guide to offshore e-commerce focused on tax and regulation.
Lowtax Library:
One of the web's largest and most authoritative business and investment
information sources.
US Tax Network:
The resource for free online US taxation information, covering: corporate
tax, individual tax, international tax, expatriates, sales and e-commerce
tax, investment tax.
NEW! Personal
Business Tax Guide: Providing essential tax news and information
on business for contractors, entrepreneurs, professionals, small businesses,
artists, sportspersons and entertainers.
Madeira
is a small group of islands 1,000 km from Portugal
and the African coast; 314 sq km accommodates
around 240,800 people (February 2006) and many
more tourists in season due to good scenery and
a sub-tropical climate. The capital Funchal has
an international airport well connected to European
cities. The time zone is GMT. Madeira
is part of Portugal and the EU; the language is
Portuguese, although some English is spoken. The
legal system is based on the civil code.
The
Madeiran government has a good degree of autonomy
from Portugal, but most legislation is Portuguese,
including tax legislation. The economy is based
on tourism, fishing, farming and financial services.
As a peripheral and poorer region of the EU, there
is considerable EU funding to support development,
which can assist inward investment. The currency
is the Euro.
Portuguese taxes are on the high side, given its
rather low level of economic achievement, but
the Portuguese government, with the agreement
of the EU, created an International Business Centre
on Madeira which until 2001 offered offshore status
and very low taxes to manufacturing, service and
financial companies, as well as a shipping registry.
In late 2002, the EU approved an extension of
the scheme, but this excludes new financial services
companies. The scheme was
extended in 2007.
The
Free Trade Zone in the International Business
Centre has been quite successful, unlike some
such ventures. VAT applies in Madeira, although
at a lower than normal rate, and this can be a
positive advantage for some importers into the
EU.
Portugal
has been careful and clever in developing Madeira's
offshore economy. Given that the EU has approved
every stage of the process, Madeira's tax advantages
have faced little threat from the 'harmful tax
practices' initiative. Portugal has a large network
of double tax treaties, and these can be used
alongside the International Business Centre to
obtain a very low tax burden for many types of
trading and commercial activity. In addition,
Madeira is covered by the full array of EU legislation
against money-laundering, and is not known to
be a target of criminal activity.
There
were some concerns about the support of the Portuguese
government for the MIBC during 2001, but the government
elected in 2002 was dependent on Madeiran MPs
for its majority. Recently, however, there have
been renewed concerns in Madeira about Portuguese
attitudes.
One of the web's largest and
most authoritative business and investment information sources. Alongside
topical, daily news on worldwide
tax developments, you can receive weekly newswires or
access up-to-date intelligence
reports on a range of legal, tax and investment subjects.
Our 16 constantly updated
intelligence reports cover every important aspect of 'offshore' and international
tax-planning in depth, including banking secrecy, the EU's savings tax
directive, offshore funds, e-commerce, offshore gaming and transfer pricing.
Reports are available for immediate downloading or as subscription
services with news pages.
Advertising & Marketing
With over 50,000 qualified readers every month our web-sites
offer a number of cost effective, targeted advertising,
sponsorship and marketing opportunities:
Display advertising - from 'skyscrapers' to 'buttons'
Content/article submission and sponsorship
Opt-in email marketing
On-line Services Directory listings
Could your corporate web-site or newsletter benefit
from incorporating regularly updated news and content
tailored to serve your clients' interests? We can provide
a variety of maintenance-free news and content solutions
that can be seamlessly integrated and dynamically delivered:
IMPORTANT NOTICE: THE LOWTAX NETWORK
has taken reasonable care in sourcing and presenting the information contained
on this site, but accepts no responsibility for any financial or other loss
or damage that may result from its use. In particular, users of the site are
advised to take appropriate professional advice before committing themselves
to involvement in offshore jurisdictions, offshore trusts or offshore investments.
All materials on this site copyright THE LOWTAX NETWORK 1999 to 2010.
All content on this site
has been provided by BSIRN.
LOWTAX.NET
13/07 
