Does the EPA allow a Barbadian Market Research or Polling firm to provide those services to EU clients in Europe from Barbados?

Yes.

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I am an independent Barbadian pollster who would like to offer my services to a client in Europe. Is that allowed under the EPA?

Yes, you are allowed to work in Europe under the following general conditions:

In order to apply for temporary entry, you must be a self-employed pollster (the same criteria apply to Market Researchers) established here in Barbados (or another CARIFORUM territory), and your contract in Europe may not be for a period longer than 12 months.  You are required to have at least six (6) years of experience in the field and must possess a university degree or equivalent qualification, and professional qualifications where required by law.

Your temporary entry will be for no more than six (6) months cumulatively during any 12-month period, or for the length of the contract, whichever is less, (This period is 25 weeks in Luxembourg.) and only the work under the contract is permitted during your stay in Europe.  You will not be permitted to perform any other work.

The following countries impose their own conditions on Independent Market Researchers and Pollsters from Barbados wishing to work in their countries:

Spain, Italy & Poland: An economic needs test will be applied for independent professionals.

Belgium: An economic needs test will be applied.

Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Greece, Finland, Lithuania, Latvia, Malta, Romania, Slovenia & Slovakia: An economic needs test will be applied.

Latvia & Portugal: There is no commitment to permit the supply of public opinion polling services (CPC 86402).

Hungary: An economic needs test will be applied except for public opinion polling services (CPC 86402), where there is no commitment to permit the supply of these services.

Market Research And Opinion Polling Services

What about Market Researchers or Pollsters who are not investing in Europe or opening a business, but want to service a contract there? Are those professionals allowed to travel to Europe on contract?

The simple answer is YES.  However, there are some conditions placed on these Professionals who have a contract in Europe and want to travel there.  Those conditions are:

• The person applying for temporary entry must be supplying a service as an employee of a business, which has obtained a service contract for a period not exceeding 12 months
• The person must have been an employee of the business for 1 year prior to application for entry, and must have at least 3 years professional experience in the field.
• The person applying for temporary entry must have a university degree or equivalent qualification, and professional qualifications where required by law.
• The temporary entry will be for a cumulative period not exceeding 6 months (or 25 weeks in Luxembourg) during a 12-month period or for the duration of the contract (whichever is less).
• The visa permits only the contracted service activity, no other business activities.
• The number of persons covered by the services contract shall not be larger than necessary to fulfil the contract.

In addition to those general conditions that apply throughout the EC, there are certain conditions imposed in specific countries:

In Cyprus, Germany, Estonia, France, Ireland, Lithuania, Netherlands, Sweden, & the United Kingdom, there is no market access or national treatment restrictions on the provision of these services.

Belgium imposes an economic needs test except for cases when the annual wage for the Professional is above the amount defined by the relevant laws and regulations.

Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Greece, Finland, Lithuania, Latvia, Malta, Romania, Slovenia, & Slovakia all impose economic needs tests.

Latvia & Portugal have no commitment to permit the supply of Market Research or Public Opinion Polling services.

Hungary applies an economic needs test except for public opinion polling services, where there is no commitment to permit the supply of these services.

Market Research And Opinion Polling Services

If a Barbadian Market Research or Opinion Polling service is permitted entry in to the EU for investment or business establishment purposes, what members of staff are allowed to work at the business in the EU?

Key personnel, that is, intra-corporate transferees such as managers and specialists, will be allowed in the EU from Barbados for a period of up to 3 years.

The senior staff from Barbados responsible for establishing a commercial presence in the EU may remain for 90 days in any 12-month period and graduate trainees for one year.

Market Research And Opinion Polling Services

Is a Market Research Company based in Barbados allowed to invest or establish a legal entity in the EC?

Under the EPA there are no restrictions on Barbadians in the Market Research and Opinion Polling sector investing in or opening a business in the European Union.

 There are general conditions placed on Barbadian service providers by certain countries in the EU.  Those conditions are:

There are limitations on the acquisition of land and real estate by Barbadian market research firms in Austria, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Greece, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Latvia, Malta, Poland, Romania, Slovak Republic, and Slovenia.

In Estonia, Finland, Italy, Romania and Sweden there are limitations requiring local citizenship or residency of senior management or Board of Directors.

Poland places conditions on the type of businesses Barbadian real estate services firms may invest in or own.

Bulgaria, France, Finland and Italy all have limitations on the types of investments Barbadians are able to make in the real estate services segment, e.g. a maximum percentage for foreign shareholding or voting rights.

Market Research And Opinion Polling Services