LUXEMBOURG, THE EUROPEAN HUB FOR INTERNATIONAL FINANCE
In today's world where fewer and fewer barriers and borders limit relationships, interactions between things, people, services, it is no wonder that in a globalized economy like ours, interests, connections, needs of various aspects from people all around the world, happen to coexist and working their way out in certain defined places. There are indeed, some places which more than others, for various reasons ranging from political situation, location, economy rather than taxation, have the ability to attract capital and resources from other countries, giving rise to international financial hubs. One on all in Europe is definitively the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg which with an area of 2,586 km² and a population of only 602,005 people, it is home to more than 130 international banks, Europe's number one investment fund centre, World's top ten largest Private Equity houses, Europe's number one cross-border insurance center, and EU-regulatory framework and EU-wide licensing of financial services. The following chapters, indeed, aim to disclose the main features which bring Luxembourg to be that leading financial center in Europe, the reasons why so many international banks and firms choose the Grand Duchy as their home, the most relevant aspects of the country economy with a focus on the leading sectors. The first two chapters will give a global overview of what the situation is in Luxembourg in order to have a picture of today business and highlighting the strength of the grand duchy economy, bringing on aspects and achievements globally acknowledged. The second chapter however will give more insights on the specific of Luxembourg tax system, detailing the appealing tax regime and even so, the support and protection of the double tax conventions signed with countries worldwide, strengthen the business climate in this country. The analysis will go through the key factors that make Luxembourg so attractive, like favourable tax treaty agreements with 57 countries, a very competitive company taxation at 28.59%, no withholding taxes on dividends, paid to EU or double tax treaty resident, lowest VAT rate in Europe at 15%. Will together be analysed, the most used incentives for the entities, as the investment tax credits (Luxembourg tax law, indeed provides a tax credit available and amounts to 13% of the increase in investments in tangible depreciable assets made during the tax year), or the new regime of the intellectual properties which give the possibility to have on a net income from qualifying IP assets, a benefits of an 80% exemption from income taxes. The essay will continue with the coverage of the core business of Luxembourg financial activity; the third chapter will give a detailed analysis of banking and wealth management, asset management services offered, the corporate finance services required by all the entities which are created and have the registered office in the Grand Duchy, followed by the analysis pf private equity and venture capital investments, real estate investment vehicles, and hedge funds which can be considered the main features of the country financial activity. The last two chapters will analyze and emphasize the international character of the system and the future prospective on how the economy, the activities and the services may evolve, giving more insights on which the priorities will be in the near futures and where the efforts will be made in other achieve some certain standard of sustainability. The fourth chapter indeed will focus on the constantly growing relationship established with the Chinese economic world the Arabic world, which both play a very important role in the today economy and happen to be two of the main actors of Luxembourg financial system. The fifth and last chapter will highlight how Luxembourg has a comprehensive domestic climate finance agenda which since 2015, have seen the government and the financial services industry, working together in a dedicated climate finance task force to implement a coherent and fully integrated climate finance strategy. The Luxembourg government contributes to the technical support facility of the Amundi Planet Emerging Green One, the largest green bond fund in the world. This Luxembourg based investment fund targets green bonds emitted by banks in developing countries and at the same time helps develop green bond policies, training programs, and best practices in such markets through the technical support facility.
