Market Entry Advisory

Corporate Establishment

Corporate establishment is a necessary first step when expanding to North America.

We offer:

• A legal set-up and corporate entity structure relevant for your U.S. subsidiary
• Access to a local network of corporate attorneys, immigration lawyers and accountants
• A dedicated project manager providing guidance throughout the establishment process to ensure a smooth market entry
• A local business address at a Consulate General of Denmark for up to two months during the establishment phase.

Virtual Establishment

A virtual office gives your company immediate market presence with a local business address, phone number, front desk and meeting room facilities.

We offer:

• A local business address and direct phone number administered by your chosen Consulate General of Denmark in North America
• Mail handling and check deposits
• Comprehensive summary of all inquiries and incoming calls to your company
• Meeting facilities at the office of the Consulate General whenever you are in town.
• Leverage of local Trade Council Advisors’ market knowledge and networks.

Physical Establishment

A physical office enables your company to set up operations quickly, easily and safely; thereby allowing you to focus on the most important thing from day 1 - your customers.

We offer:

• An official address at a central location with a fully furnished office and modern IT, along with ready access to meeting facilities
• Assistance with all practicalities including VISA application, lawyers, accounting and taxation
• An assigned project manager at The Trade Council to help you get your business up and running
• A social environment, an extensive business network, and professional feedback on local market opportunities from advisors of The Trade Council
• Assistance in the search for private housing through trusted real estate agents.

Boots on the Ground

Boots on the Ground is a service where you get an instant resource in North America. A dedicated Trade Council advisor with in depth experience with and knowledge about the North American market will act as your sales rep and provide you with local presence necessary to expand your operations.

Read more here.

Local Recruitment

Finding the right country manager, key account manager or engineer is key for your market entry in North America; by hiring the wrong employee, you risk setting your operations months or perhaps years back.

In North America, it is easy to hire and fire and it is not unusual that employee and employer have the right to terminate a contract with two weeks’ notice. It is therefore important to treat your employees well and offer reasonable benefits including salary, bonus, flexibility, and sufficient healthcare insurance.

We offer:

• Support with recruitment of local staff
• Complete recruitment research tailor-made for your industry if needed
• Acces to The Trade Council’s extensive network of Danes working with recruitment companies in the U.S.
• Advise on job postings.

Employee Contracts

Once a subsidiary has been established, The Trade Council is able to assist in expanding your business. North America is very different from Denmark when it comes to employee contracts. Issues such as healthcare, pension, vacation days and maternity leave are all things to consider before hiring additional staff.

We offer:

• Outline of standard benefit schemes in your industry.
• Access to a trusted network of lawyers that can assist you in drawing up the contract.

Distribution Contracts

The importance of having transparent, legally binding distribution contracts cannot be emphasized enough. Although your company has come to agreement with, what seems to be, the perfect partner, the partnership can still come to an end. The Trade Council has unfortunately observed negative consequences for a number of Danish companies through the years, where the U.S. partner has not lived up to their obligations.

We offer:

• Access to a network of trusted attorneys that Danish companies have been using for years.
• Attorneys specialized in distribution contracts with services including both review of standard distribution contracts as well as tailor made distribution contracts for your industry that meet local requirements of the states in which you operate.

Registration of Trademarks

Trademark registration ensures that your company can transfer its name and logo to North America. In the U.S., a trademark can be registered both on a Federal and State level. This can be done as long as a certain word or term (i.e., trademark) has not been registered in the U.S. before. If not, the application process can begin.

We offer:

• Trademark registration in the U.S. or Canada
• Access to local Trademark attorneys that will assist with Trademark search and filing the relevant application
• A dedicated project manager that will assist you throughout the process.

Product Certification

In some cases it might be beneficial to get a product certification in the U.S. Such certifications can be attained by certifying your product at a nationally recognized testing laboratory. Such laboratories are privately owned and located across the U.S.

The timeline on a product certification varies depending on whether your product can be tested through existing standards or if it is a so-called ‘new invention’, which requires new standards to be defined.

We offer:

• Access to a network of people working at various nationally recognized testing laboratories.
• Overall guidance on the product certification process.

Counseling on Tariffs

Import of goods to the U.S. and Canada is a complex process. CETA, the European Union’s free trade agreement with Canada, valid with effect from 2017, resulted in removal of tariffs on a significant number of products and services. In contrast, trade relations between the U.S. and the European Union is currently facing a period of considerable uncertainty.

We offer:

• Counseling on customs regulations
• Access to a network of customs lawyers, who can represent you in case

Accounting Services

On a regulatory level, the U.S. consists of multiple state and municipal regulatory environments. Therefore, having an ‘on the ground’ accountant is vital. A experienced accountant is able to assist your company in complying with current regulation in each of the states in which you are operating.

We offer:

• A Certified Public Accountant (CPA) to advise on your taxes
• Complete payroll management
• A dedicated project manager who will assist you throughout the process.