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.
Jurisdiction table checked: 2026-10-02
| Netherlands [NL] | Panama [PA] | |
|---|---|---|
| Region | EU | Latin America |
| Corporate tax rate | 25.8% | 25% |
| FATF status | compliant | compliant |
| Sanctions exposure | No | No |
| EU list of non-cooperative jurisdictions | not applicable — EU member state | Annex I — listed |
| Data-protection law | GDPR | Ley 81/2019 |
| New York Convention | Yes | Yes |
| Apostille Convention (1961) | Yes | Yes |
| Foreign ownership | Yes | Yes |
| Local director requirement | No | No |
The headline corporate income tax rate in Netherlands is 25.8%. 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 Panama is 25%. Free zones, small-business reliefs and participation exemptions can change the effective rate — treat this as the starting point.
Netherlands is an EU member state. The list covers third countries only, so a member state never appears in either annex.
Panama is in Annex I of the EU list. Member states apply defensive measures to Annex I jurisdictions; these differ by member state and commonly involve denial of deductions, withholding, or additional reporting. The list is revised twice a year.
The applicable data-protection statute is GDPR (in force since 2018). If you process EU/UK personal data you also need a valid transfer mechanism into Netherlands.
The applicable data-protection statute is Ley 81/2019 (in force since 2019). If you process EU/UK personal data you also need a valid transfer mechanism into Panama.
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