On 1 November 2007, the States approved a proposal from the Commerce and Employment Department to establish a new electronic Company Registry (See Billet D’Etat XXII, 2007). This decision followed consideration of the Revision of Companies Law in March 2007 (Billet D’Etat XI). The new Registry will provide Guernsey with a modern infrastructure for administering company registrations through an IT enabled system.

This approval also extended to the fitting out of a new Company Registry office in the Market building and the provision of an Information Technology system.

Prior to the States approving the Policy Letter in November 2007, considerable research had been carried out by members of the Project Team and the Company Registry Steering Group.

The Steering Group was set up to review the company registration process and investigate computerised registries in other finance centres with the possibility of introducing an electronic registry.

The membership of the Group included representatives of the Law Officers, GFSC and the legal profession.

Annual Returns - 2008

As part of the preparation for the move to a new Registry, and the introduction of a new Companies Law in 2008, an Annual Return form MUST be completed and returned to H M Greffier, The Greffe, The Royal Court House, St Peter Port, GY1 2PB by 31 January 2008.

For those Guernsey companies that will retain exempt status in 2008, the level of exempt fees payable under the 1989 Income Tax Ordinance remains at £600.

Failure to complete an Annual Return by this date will result in a penalty for late filing.

An Annual Return form is available to download as a PDF document. Paper copies can be obtained from reception at the Court House, from Sir Charles Frossard House and from the Information Centre at the North Plantation.