on September 9, 2021

To undertake in Estonia is to undertake in the European Union

on September 9, 2021

Empreender na Estônia é empreender na União Europeia

Estonia. Have you heard of this small European country? If not, don't worry because you're definitely not the only one. And if so, you probably haven't had the opportunity to visit it yet. It is not a very well-known or visited country, but little by little it has been gaining ground in the international environment as the most digital country in the world and as a starting point to undertake in the European Union (HUH).

Why should you care about Estonia?

So far you can get an idea of the importance of this country, but let's delve a little deeper into this issue. In a world where everyone needs to be connected at all times, whether by phone, laptop or tablet, Estonia guarantees this connection by providing free wireless hotspots almost everywhere in the country, including in the forests. It is a paradise for digital nomads, influencers and digital entrepreneurs. Estonia is also the birthplace of big companies like Skype and Wise (formerly known as Transferwise). In fact, Estonia ranks first in Europe in number of unicorns per capita. So it's no surprise that this small Baltic country holds the title of most advanced digital society in the world. Everything is done with a mouse click or touchpad touch, even things like checking your health history and voting in elections. If you still haven't convinced yourself that you need to care about this country, then maybe this next projection made by CEPII (in French, Center d'Études Prospectives et d'Informations Internationales) convince him: by 2050, Estonia could become the second most productive country in the EU, and thus join the five most productive nations in the world.

How is Estonia a starting point to undertake in the EU?

Okay, now that you agree with me that it's a country worth visiting, how exactly can it be useful? Have you ever dreamed of expanding your company or opening a new company in Europe or living there as a digital nomad or taking your startup? Well, Estonia offers you all these options and, as it has been a member of the European Union since 2004, it automatically opens the doors to other countries in the European bloc. The Single European Market aims to guarantee the free movement of goods, capital, services and people. In other words, with a listed company in Estonia, you will have easy access to the consumers and customers of this entire market. And as it is much easier to start and manage a business in Estonia than in other Member States, it is worth starting there – a business can be established in Estonia fully online in just a few hours and from almost anywhere in the world.

How can a Brazilian do business in Europe from Estonia?

To attract entrepreneurs, startups and digital nomads, Estonia has launched various incentives, for example the program e-Residency, The digital nomad visa it's the startup visa. Estonian e-Residency is a program that allows non-Estonians to access Estonian services such as business formation, payment processing and taxation. The program provides the e-resident with an identity card that can be used to digitally sign documents. The program is aimed at entrepreneurs who do not depend on a fixed location. However, it is important to note that this incentive does not entitle you to travel or live in Estonia.

The digital nomad visa allows remote workers to live in Estonia and legally work for their employer or for their own company registered abroad.

In addition, Estonia startup visa helps non-EU founders to expand their startup in Estonia and facilitates the process for Estonian startups to hire non-EU talent. We will talk about these three incentives in more detail in the next posts.

There are several ways for you to enter the European market and, now that you know some of the possible paths, how about a little help in this process or even to choose the best path for your case? We at Martins Castro will give you the necessary support. Just contact us and we'll set up a call.