The Republic of the Congo and the Netherlands at a glance
- Stamp
- Legalisation
- First stop
- Legalisation by the Congolese Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Brazzaville is enough for the Netherlands, so the Dutch embassy step falls away (Netherlands Worldwide)
- Language
- French, often accepted as it is
- Register
- Registre du Commerce et du Crédit Mobilier (RCCM), kept by the registries of the commercial courts, such as the Tribunal de Commerce de Pointe-Noire
- Tax treaty
- Outside the Dutch treaty list: Dutch rules apply (Rijksoverheid, 1 October 2026)
- EU trade
- Partnership talks paused since 2011
- Moving here
- Residence permit needed
Documents from the Republic of the Congo
Passport copy, certified by a notary in the Republic of the Congo.
Proof of address in the Republic of the Congo, at most three months old.
Power of attorney. Sign the power of attorney before a notary in Brazzaville or Pointe-Noire, then have the notary’s signature legalised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Ownership statement, one page from us.
Legalisation. Legalisation by the Congolese Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Brazzaville is enough for the Netherlands, so the Dutch embassy step falls away (Netherlands Worldwide).
Official page: https://www.netherlandsworldwide.nl/legalisation/foreign-documents/congo-brazzaville
If a company from the Republic of the Congo becomes a shareholder
Register extract, at most three months old: Registre du Commerce et du Crédit Mobilier (RCCM), kept by the registries of the commercial courts, such as the Tribunal de Commerce de Pointe-Noire. Register numbers start with CG and a city code, for example CG/PNR for Pointe-Noire (Journal officiel). Order a recent RCCM extract and the statutes. Plus articles, signing authority and ownership chart.
The Republic of the Congo and the EU: trade and tax
The Republic of the Congo trades with the EU under the standard Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP). For low and lower-middle-income countries, this scheme removes EU customs duties in part or in full on two thirds of tariff lines (European Commission).
To claim the lower rate, the exporter in the Congo registers in the EU’s Registered Exporter System (REX) and makes out a statement on origin. For a consignment up to €6,000, any exporter may make that statement. It stays valid for 12 months (European Commission).
A new EU GSP regulation applies from 1 January 2027, for ten years (European Commission). Check the rate for your products against the new rules before you sign contracts for 2027.
Timber from the Congo basin is covered by the EU deforestation rules. Large and medium-sized importers start on 30 December 2026. Micro and small companies follow on 30 June 2027, except for wood products the EU Timber Regulation already covered: there the December date applies to them too. The importer that places the wood on the EU market proves where it was harvested.
The Netherlands keeps the standard 15% dividend tax on dividends to an owner in the Republic of the Congo, because the Congo is missing from the Dutch treaty list (Netherlands Worldwide, July 2025).
Your next step from the Republic of the Congo
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