Opening a branch

Register with the Swedish Companies Registration Office

A branch is an independent entity which conducts business transactions in its own name, acting on behalf of the company. The branch must have a managing director. The managing director represents the branch and must register it with the Swedish Companies Registration Office (Bolagsverket) prior to the commencement of business operations.

Register a branch with the Swedish Companies Registration Office

More about branches

Corporate identity number

When the branch has been registered, it is allocated a ten-digit corporate identity number. This number is a kind of identifier for the branch and is used in its contacts with authorities and other parties.

Reporting to the Swedish Companies Registration Office

The rules regarding the preparation and submission of financial statements can be summarised as follows:

Branches of companies in the EEA which are comparable with limited companies:

• The accounting is concluded with an annual financial statement (årsbokslut) or an annual report (årsredovisning).
• The annual report for the foreign company must be sent to the Swedish Companies Registration Office.

Branches of companies in the EEA which are not comparable to limited companies:

• The accounting is concluded with an annual report.
• The annual report for the branch and the foreign company must be sent to the Swedish Companies Registration Office.

Branches of companies outside the EEA:

• The accounting is concluded with an annual report.
• The annual report for the branch and the foreign company must be sent to the Swedish Companies Registration Office.

If the foreign company's annual report is not a public document in the country of origin, it does not need to be sent in but a statement must be filed which certifies that it annual report has not been made public.

The financial statements must be prepared in Swedish or translated into Swedish.

Annual reports for branches

Tax

A foreign company starting a branch in Sweden must pay income tax on its business operations.

Typical features of branches:

• A branch is not a separate legal person, but part of the foreign company.
• A branch is subject to Swedish law and Swedish regulatory decisions with regard to legal relationships that arise in connection with business activities in Sweden.
• A branch does not have its own share capital and its assets and liabilities are part of the company's total assets and liabilities.
• The branch accounts must be kept separate from those of the foreign company. This is partly in order to allow a separate annual report to be prepared for the branch.
• The branch's accounts and the managing director's administration must usually be reviewed by an auditor.

The Services Directive

The Services Directive defines the rules and conditions for entrepreneurs wishing to establish a business or perform temporary services on the EU internal market. Verksamt.se is the operative place for the Swedish Point of Single Contact.

Swedish Point of Single Contact