European business taxes · Reviewed 6 June 2026
Corporate Tax Rates in Europe
Compare headline corporate income tax and standard VAT rates across all 27 EU countries.
Bulgaria corporate tax
10%
Flat headline rate
Bulgaria standard VAT
20%
Kept separate from profit tax
Countries compared
27
All EU member states
How to read the comparison
Headline rates are a starting point
Corporate tax usually applies to taxable profit after allowable expenses and adjustments. The table uses the standard statutory headline rate so countries can be compared consistently.
VAT is shown for context, but it should not be added to the corporate tax estimate. Review the country caveats and obtain advice before choosing a structure.
Taxable-profit calculator
Estimate corporate tax
Headline rate
10%
Estimated tax
€10,000.00
Retained profit
€90,000.00
VAT is excluded because it is a transaction tax, not a tax on company profit. This simple estimate does not model brackets, local taxes, surcharges, reliefs or distributed-profit systems.
Corporate tax
Headline corporate tax rates
Compare the standard headline corporate income tax rates used in this EU-27 guide.
Gray countries are outside this EU-27 comparison.
Standard VAT
Standard VAT rates
Compare standard VAT separately from tax charged on company profit.
Gray countries are outside this EU-27 comparison.
EU-27 comparison
Business tax by country
| ATAustria | 23% | 20% |
|---|---|---|
| BEBelgium | 25% | 21% |
| BGBulgaria | 10% | 20% |
| HRCroatia | 18% | 25% |
| CYCyprus | 15% | 19% |
| CZCzechia | 21% | 21% |
| DKDenmark | 22% | 25% |
| EEEstonia | 22% | 24% |
| FIFinland | 20% | 25.5% |
| FRFrance | 25% | 20% |
| DEGermany | 15.825% | 19% |
| GRGreece | 22% | 24% |
| HUHungary | 9% | 27% |
| IEIreland | 12.5% | 23% |
| ITItaly | 24% | 22% |
| LVLatvia | 20% | 21% |
| LTLithuania | 17% | 21% |
| LULuxembourg | 16% | 17% |
| MTMalta | 35% | 18% |
| NLNetherlands | 25.8% | 21% |
| PLPoland | 19% | 23% |
| PTPortugal | 19% | 23% |
| RORomania | 16% | 21% |
| SKSlovakia | 24% | 23% |
| SISlovenia | 22% | 22% |
| ESSpain | 25% | 21% |
| SESweden | 20.6% | 25% |
Bulgaria focus
A simple 10% headline rate
Bulgaria combines a 10% corporate income tax rate with EU membership. Substance, residence, transfer pricing and compliance still matter.
Discuss a Bulgarian company setup
Lion Consult can help assess setup, accounting and compliance requirements. This comparison is general information, not personalized tax advice.
Request a consultationEuropean business taxes FAQ
Which EU country has the lowest headline corporate tax rate?
Hungary has the lowest headline rate in this comparison at 9%, followed by Bulgaria at 10%. Local taxes and company-specific rules still need to be considered.
Is VAT charged on company profit?
No. VAT is generally a transaction-based consumption tax. Corporate income tax is calculated from taxable profit, which is why the calculator keeps VAT separate.
Are headline corporate tax rates the same as effective tax rates?
No. Effective tax depends on the tax base, deductions, incentives, local taxes, surcharges, loss relief and the company's facts.
Why do some countries need a caveat?
Some systems use progressive rates, local business taxes, surcharges or taxation when profits are distributed, so a single headline percentage cannot describe the complete burden.