Starting a business in 2026 means answering four questions before you even choose a status: where, under which form, with what taxation, and with which partners. This guide reviews the procedures, legal forms, costs and timeframes in France, Belgium, Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates. A jurisdiction-by-jurisdiction comparison, the structural mistakes to avoid, the right order of steps, and the criteria for choosing between a SASU, an SRL, a Sàrl or an FZE.