That's excellent advice. Glad you found someone who knows this well!
That is a question to bring up with a Dutch tax adviser.
If we take UK holding as an example, the income from the Malta trading company's profit and tax rebate are︀ not subject to corporate tax income in UK (as per latest advice I got from︁ a tax adviser). I've seen the same apply to a few other EU jurisdiction holding︂ companies, but I can't remember any recent examples with Dutch parents.
I have spent a lot of︍ time on both islands. Which one you like more is going to come down to︎ personal preference. Malta is definitely a lot smaller than Cyprus. Some find this a plus;️ others find it getting on their nerves after a few years. There is more to see and do in Cyprus. Both have good connections to mainland Europe, especially if you connect via Frankfurt or Munich, so it's easy to get in and out. , I can go on for hours comparing the two but it's best to experience them first-hand.
There is no huge difference in cost for establishing and running a consulting/one-person company. Malta might be a little bit cheaper but nothing huge. In Malta, I am more comfortable with local law firms for corporate services, whereas in Cyprus, I have had significantly better︀ experiences working with bigger international firms than local ones.
Banking in Malta is bit problematic.︁ The two main banks, HSBC and BOV, make it very difficult for foreigners to open︂ accounts. The other banks aren't much better either. Having lost three banks in recent years︃ to money laundering/compliance scandals (Nemea Bank, Pilatus Bank, and most recently Satabank), the remaining banks︄ are extremely cautious. A lot of expats coming to Malta (typically to work in igaming)︅ end up keeping their bank accounts bank home, and/or go for something like Revolut.
Most companies end up banking with BOV or foreign banks. BOV is a fine bank, once︆ you're in.
Banking in Cyprus isn't a smooth ride either, but there are more banks︇ to choose from and with a good, safe business plan (which your business sounds like),︈ it will probably be a less bumpy ride than Malta.
On a more human side,︉ Malta is full of north European (Scandinavian, German, Dutch, and British) expats, whereas Cyprus has︊ a more mixed expat community but way more people from Russia/CIS and Middle East. Malta︋ has a well-established igaming sector. In Cyprus, the equivalent is the forex industry. Both attract︌ highly skilled workers and have benefited the two nations greatly. I would consider Malta more︍ nimble and modern than Cyprus, thanks to its smallness and the innovative environment created largely︎ around the igaming sector. Cyprus is a little slower and more bureaucratic.
