Well, it’s been a funny old week for Europe’s
smallest businesses, with the news -- following a vote in
the European Parliament -- that micro-businesses may be spared
a few metres of red tape (in the form of an exemption from
the requirement to draw up annual accounts) swiftly followed
by a condemnation
of the measure from UEAPME (the European Association of Crafts,
Trades and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises), one of the
groups likely to be directly affected by the change, which
argued that as the plans include a right for member countries
to allow the exemption or not, this may create an uneven playing
field, with different EU countries either allowing or disallowing
the exemption.
The Association went on to warn darkly that MEPs had
agreed to allow EU members to add “further unspecified
obligations to exempted micro-companies". Scary stuff!
Here in the PBTG broom cupboard, where the extremes
of weather which had such an impact on small businesses in
the UK go unnoticed (it’s very hard to see through the
keyhole, you understand…), we haven’t been resting
on our laurels following the launch of our shiny new site,
with new Hungary
and Romania
summary sections added to the existing stable of European
countries.
This stuff doesn’t write itself, however, so I
shall bid you adieu until next week, and return to prodding
PBTG staffers with broom handles (a surprising effective motivational
technique…!)
It was announced this week that the Provisional Minimum Wage Commission had reached agreement on the initial minimum wage level, and was preparing a report to submit to the Chief Executive making its recommendation. RSS
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Accounting and business advisory firm, Deloitte earlier this month launched the 2010/11 edition of its annual 'Entrepreneurship UK' poll, seeking to provide a snapshot of the attitudes and intentions of entrepreneurs across the country. RSS
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A survey recently undertaken by Swiss banking group, Credit Suisse, in conjunction with the Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW) has shown that there is increased optimism this month amongst the business community and the wider population with regard to the future of the Swiss economy. RSS
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As part of the lead-up to its implementation of the New Modern Apprenticeship (NMA) scheme, which aims to replace the traditional apprenticeship pathway (or A-Scheme), the Cypriot government has announced that new applications are now being invited from businesses seeking subsidies for the training of apprentices. RSS
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Just wondering if anyone had any tips on getting clients to pay up in a timely fashion?
Am a freelance writer, with a number of regular gigs with online and offline publications, but, with a couple of exceptions - which have just about kept my head above water some months - they're all pretty awful at paying up on time. The payments trickle through eventually, but often not without pushing from me.
It's really getting me down, and may well end up sinking me financially. So...what do you do?
I am not an Irish citizen but have been based in Ireland for many years. For the last 6 years I have worked overseas (outside EU) only spending max 6 weeks holiday a year in Ireland. For the time I have been overseas I continued to make an Irish tax return and there was no liability to foreign tax. It is possible that I will secure a 2 year contract overseas that will substantially increase my income. This new contract will require that I pay local income tax. What can I do to minimise Irish tax liability? It may be possible to have salary paid in a double tax agreement location if this would help.
I am looking to set-up as a sole trader in Ireland. One of my clients is an American company paying into my Irish account for work done. Do I have to pay taxes in both countries, or how does this work? Help!M
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