Competitive Intelligence, Investigations, & Due Diligence
Starting a competitive intelligence research project, an investigation, or due diligence research usually entails a detailed look at the corporate filings, share structure, and accounts of the target or subject company.
Great Britain
On the island of Great Britain, there are two separate registries, one for England and Wales, and another for Scotland. Both of these are operated by Companies House. The accounts and filings for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland take the same format.
Ireland
On the island of Ireland, the Northern Ireland Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment of the Northern Ireland Government, (DETINI) houses the corporate filings and accounts. Corporate filings in the Republic of Ireland may be obtained online from the Companies Registration Office.
Channel Islands
On the Channel Islands of Jersey and Guernsey the corporate filings are handled at the Jersey Financial Services Commission and the Guernsey Registry. Jersey and Guernsey are tax havens, and companies incorporated there do not normally file accounts.
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man is a tax haven, and companies incorporated there do not normally file accounts. The Companies Registry holds corporate filings, and is part of the Financial Supervision Commission.
The Dependencies and the EU
The Channel Islands of Jersey and Guernsey are British Crown dependencies located off the coast of Normandy, and as such, not part of the United Kingdom or the European Union. Islanders are viewed as British Citizens but not European Union citizens. The passport for citizens of Jersey or Guernsey will have the words ‘British Islands, Bailiwick of Jersey’ or ‘British Islands, Isle of Man Guernsey’. Their legal system is different, and they both have their own languages. The Isle of Man is also a self-governing Crown dependency, however, it is located in the Irish Sea.
These dependencies are not a part of the European Union, but Protocol 3 of the 1972 Treaty of Accession permits the free movement of goods between them and the EU. While goods from Jersey, Guernsey, and Isle of Man may move freely to and from the EU, people, capital, and services cannot. However, they are part of the Common Travel Area, a passport-free zone that comprises the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, Jersey, and Guernsey.
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