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GLOSSARY HUB

Swiss Business Glossary

Explore key Swiss company, tax, legal, and compliance terms. Open any term for a detailed practical explanation.

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A

AG (Aktiengesellschaft)

Company Type

What an AG is in Switzerland, capital requirements, governance, and when it is the right company form.

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AHV (Old-Age and Survivors Insurance)

Payroll

Swiss AHV social insurance fundamentals for employers and company founders.

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ALV (Unemployment Insurance)

Payroll

Swiss unemployment insurance contribution obligations in payroll.

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AML (Anti-Money Laundering)

Compliance

AML obligations relevant to Swiss companies, onboarding checks, and ongoing compliance.

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Articles of Association

Legal

The constitutional document of Swiss companies and what it should contain.

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B

B Permit

Immigration

Swiss residence permit fundamentals for entrepreneurs, directors, and key employees.

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Banking License

Regulation

When FINMA authorization is needed and why normal incorporation is not enough for banking activities.

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Beneficial Owner (UBO)

Compliance

Ultimate beneficial ownership in Switzerland and why UBO disclosure is required.

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Beteiligungsabzug (Participation Exemption)

Tax

Swiss participation exemption concept for qualifying dividend and capital gain income.

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Betreibung (Debt Enforcement)

Legal

Swiss debt enforcement process basics and why it matters in credit and compliance checks.

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BVG (Occupational Pension)

Payroll

Swiss BVG second-pillar pension obligations for employers and employees.

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C

Commercial Register

Legal

What the Swiss Commercial Register is, what gets published, and why entries matter.

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CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility)

Compliance

Corporate Social Responsibility in Swiss business operations, governance, and reporting contexts.

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D

DBG (Federal Direct Tax Act)

Tax

Swiss Federal Direct Tax Act framework and why DBG matters for corporate taxation.

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Doppelte Buchhaltung (Double Bookkeeping)

Accounting

Swiss double-entry bookkeeping under Art. 957 para. 1 CO and when full accounting is mandatory.

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Due Diligence

Compliance

Due diligence in Swiss incorporation, banking, and partner onboarding.

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E

Einzelfirma (Sole Proprietorship)

Company Type

Swiss sole proprietorship basics, liability profile, and registration triggers.

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ESTV (Swiss Federal Tax Administration)

Tax

Role of the Swiss Federal Tax Administration in VAT, withholding tax, and federal tax administration.

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F

FINMA (Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority)

Regulation

FINMA supervision and licensing relevance for Swiss financial and fintech businesses.

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G

GmbH (Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung)

Company Type

Swiss GmbH explained: setup, capital, shareholder visibility, and typical use cases for SMEs.

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H

Handelsregister (Commercial Register)

Legal

German term for the Swiss Commercial Register used for legal company registration.

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I

Invalidenversicherung (IV)

Payroll

Swiss disability insurance component within social security and payroll obligations.

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J

Juristische Person (Legal Entity)

Legal

Meaning of Juristische Person in Swiss law and how it differs from natural persons.

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K

KMU (Small and Medium Enterprises)

Business

Meaning of KMU in Swiss business context and why classification can matter operationally.

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L

Lex Friedrich

Legal

Swiss restrictions framework historically associated with foreign acquisition of real estate.

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M

Mantelhandel

Legal

What Mantelhandel means in Switzerland and why trading inactive company shells is closely scrutinized.

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Milchbüchleirechnung (Simple Bookkeeping)

Accounting

Swiss simple bookkeeping method under Art. 957 para. 2 CO and when it is permitted.

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N

NAP / PAN (National Action Plan)

Compliance

Swiss National Action Plan framework in business and human rights context (German NAP / French PAN).

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O

OR (Obligationenrecht)

Legal

Swiss Code of Obligations (OR) fundamentals for commercial law, accounting, and company governance.

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P

Pensionskasse (Pension Fund)

Payroll

Swiss occupational pension fund concept linked to BVG employer obligations.

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Permanent Establishment

Tax

What creates a permanent establishment risk for foreign and Swiss companies.

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Q

Quellensteuer (Withholding Tax)

Tax

Swiss withholding-at-source tax basics for employers and cross-border workforce cases.

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R

Revisionsstelle (Statutory Auditor)

Compliance

Role of the Swiss Revisionsstelle and audit relevance for company compliance.

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S

SA (Societe Anonyme)

Company Type

The French term for the Swiss stock corporation form equivalent to AG.

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Sarl (Societe a Responsabilite Limitee)

Company Type

The French term for the Swiss limited liability company form equivalent to GmbH.

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SHAB (Swiss Official Gazette of Commerce)

Legal

SHAB publication relevance for Swiss company registrations and legal notices.

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Share Capital

Legal

Share capital in Switzerland: minimum thresholds, paid-in rules, and practical planning before incorporation.

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SUVA / UVAM (Unfallversicherungsanstalt)

Payroll

Swiss accident insurance institution context and relation to employer insurance compliance.

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T

Tax Residency

Tax

How Swiss corporate tax residency is determined and why substance matters.

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Transfer Pricing

Tax

Arm's-length pricing between related entities and its impact on Swiss tax compliance.

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Treuhänder (Fiduciary Advisor)

Compliance

Swiss Treuhänder role in accounting, administration, and compliance support.

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U

UID (Unique Identification Number)

Tax

The Swiss business identification number format, usage, and relation to VAT registration.

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UVG (Accident Insurance)

Payroll

Swiss accident insurance requirements for employers and payroll administration.

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V

VAT / MWST

Tax

Swiss VAT basics, thresholds, rates, and practical compliance for operating companies.

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Verein (Association)

Legal

Swiss association structure basics and when a Verein is used instead of a company form.

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Verrechnungssteuer (Withholding Tax)

Tax

Swiss Verrechnungssteuer basics and its role in dividend and tax-credit mechanics.

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W

WUST (Historical Turnover Tax)

Tax

Historical Swiss WUST context and why older references still appear in legacy documentation.

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X

XML-Meldungen (XML Filings)

Compliance

XML filing and data submission context in Swiss compliance and reporting workflows.

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Y

Yearly Financial Statements

Accounting

Annual financial statement preparation, close process, and compliance expectations for Swiss companies.

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Z

ZGB / CC (Swiss Civil Code)

Legal

Swiss Civil Code reference in German (ZGB) and French (CC) legal contexts.

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