Side-by-side on the points that decide where you incorporate: corporate tax, FATF standing, sanctions exposure, data-protection law, arbitration enforceability, apostille, foreign ownership and local-director requirements.
Last reviewed: 2026-08-03
| Ireland [IE] | Portugal [PT] | |
|---|---|---|
| Region | EU | EU |
| Corporate tax rate | 15% | 21% |
| FATF status | compliant | compliant |
| Sanctions exposure | No | No |
| Data-protection law | GDPR | GDPR |
| New York Convention | Yes | Yes |
| Apostille Convention (1961) | Yes | Yes |
| Foreign ownership | Yes | Yes |
| Local director requirement | Yes | No |
The headline corporate income tax rate in Ireland is 15%. Free zones, small-business reliefs and participation exemptions can change the effective rate — treat this as the starting point.
The headline corporate income tax rate in Portugal is 21%. Free zones, small-business reliefs and participation exemptions can change the effective rate — treat this as the starting point.
Ireland requires a resident/local director. This adds real cost and a governance dependency — include it in the structure.
Portugal does not mandate a resident local director.
Neither is obviously right until you know what you are optimising for — tax, banking, enforcement or speed.
Informational resource curated by the Ignito legal practice and cross-checked against primary sources. This is not legal advice and does not create a lawyer-client relationship. Rules change — verify against the primary source before you sign or file. Terms of Use