The one-stop-shop also publishes the legal notice of incorporation on their website (http://www.cepici.gouv.ci/) CEPICI has considerably reduced the incorporation timeframes by half and the procedure is currently as follows:
• Purchase of electricity, water and provision of new technologies at discounted rates, subject to an investment in a unit of processing of rawmaterials Free Zones There is only one Free Zone in Côte d’Ivoire, which is located in Grand-Bassam, a suburb of Abidjan. The Free zone is limited to Biotechnology, InformationTechnology and Communication companies. In order for a company to be admitted to the Free Zone, it must obtain a license issued by the Village of InformationTechnology and Biotechnology (VITIB SA). VITIB SA is the Ivorian Company in charge of the Management, Promotion and Exploitation of the Free Zone. Investment Guarantee and Protection The Investment Code provides some guarantees and protections to foreign investors. Under this code, a foreign investor is guaranteed that it will receive a treatment identical to the one granted to natural or legal persons of Ivorian nationality. In accordance with international agreements and treaties it has signed, Côte d’Ivoire protects intellectual property, including patents, trademarks and trade names. Private ownership of any property, movable or immovable, tangible or intangible, is protected in all its aspects. Freedom of access to raw materials, semi-finished or produced in the country, is guaranteed to all investors. If necessary, the state shall take the necessary measures to ensure the effective exercise of freedom of access to raw materials. Côte d’Ivoire guarantees any investor the freedom to appoint members of the board, the CEO or the manager. No investor may be deprived of property investments except for a public purpose and under the condition of a just and prior compensation. The country has put in place support mechanisms to assist companies who suffer damage by popular movements. The government of Côte d’Ivoire facilitates the access of investors to industrial land, agricultural land and tourist areas as appropriate. It takes the necessary security measures to protect businesses located in designated areas without this constituting an obligation of result for the investors.
Approximate Cost (USD)
Item
Time
205
2 days
1 A notary draft the statutes and certifies the paid-in capital 2 Open a bank account and deposit the minimum capital requirement at the bank 3 Register at the one-stop shop (CEPICI) and publish the legal notice
1 day
No charge
3 days
25
4 Obtain a company seal
1 day
17
The CEPICI One-Stop Shop has improved its business incorporation performance from 48 hours to 24 hours in compliance with an Interministerial Order No. 186 / MIM / MJDHLP / MPMB / MCAPPM / of 07 May 2014 amending interministerial decree N ° 104 / MEMEASPF / MJDHLP / MPMEF / MCAPPME of 25 March 2013 fixing the deadlines, procedures and costs of creating and modifying companies in the one-stop shop Formalities Department Of CEPICI, Articles 2, 4, 5 and 6. Investment Promotion and Incentives In order to promote the development of small businesses, Côte d’Ivoire has offered some non-tax incentives for these businesses. Under the investment code a small business is a business that employs less than 200 permanent employees and generates a revenue of less than F.CFA 1 billion (USD equivalent USD 1.7m). The incentives for small business include: • Exemption from registration of all acts subject to registration • Provision by the state of plots of land necessary for the construction of investment projects; and
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