The Bahamas: Economic Substance Legislation

The Bahamas has passed legislation requiring that certain legal entities carrying on relevant activities have to demonstrate adequate economic substance in said jurisdiction. The beneficial owners of any company or limited partnership incorporated, registered or continued in The Bahamas should be aware of this legislation and consider how they may be affected.

The Commercial Entities (Substance Requirements) Act, 2018 ("CESRA") came into force on December 31st, 2018. It addresses the concerns of the European Union's ("EU") Inter-governmental Code of Conduct Group (Business Taxation) guidance for determining substance when considering whether a tax measure is harmful or 'fair' and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's (OECD) Base Erosion Profit Shifting (BEPS) Project.