Guernsey

The Bailiwick of Guernsey

Guernsey is a British Crown Dependency located in the Bay of St Malo in sight of the French coast.  The Bailiwick comprises the Islands of Guernsey, Alderney, Sark and Herm along with several smaller isles.

As a Crown Dependency it is loyal to the British monarch, but does not form part of the political make-up of the United Kingdom.  It is a self-governing and judicially independent territory, which sits outside the European Union but is treated as part of the European Community for the purposes of free trade in goods.

Guernsey comprises an area of approximately 78 sq km, with a population of about 65,000. 

The island is recognised as a leading international finance centre, with some of the most robust and sophisticated anti-money laundering and financial services legislation in the world.  It boasts a stable geo-political infrastructure, with a legal system based on English law principles.

Guernsey Financial Services Commission

The Guernsey Financial Services Commission is the regulatory body for the finance industry in the Bailiwick of Guernsey, responsible for the regulation, supervision and development of the financial services industry in the Island.  It is the supervisory body for those sectors that are subject to regulatory oversight of their anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism responsibilities.

Alderney

While forming part of the Bailiwick of Guernsey, Alderney is itself recognised as a separate jurisdiction.  With a population of about 2,000 occupying an area of 3 sq km it is the third largest of the Channel Islands.  As with its sister Islands of Jersey and Guernsey, Alderney enjoys legal autonomy.   However, in practice many of its affairs have been delegated to Guernsey including taxation for which it is treated as being part of Guernsey.

Industries

Guernsey’s primary industries are:

• Financial services
• Hospitality
• Agriculture

Helpful links

• Guernsey Finance
• Guernsey Investment Fund Association
• Visit Guernsey
• Guernsey Chamber of Commerce
• Royal Guernsey Agricultural & Horticultural Society

RSM Channel Islands

The RSM Channel Islands group includes our Guernsey incorporated auditor, RSM CI (Audit) Limited.   RSM CI (Audit) Limited is registered as a Prescribed Business with the Guernsey Financial Services Commission in accordance with The Criminal Justice (Proceeds of Crime) (Legal Professionals, Accountants and Estate Agents) (Bailiwick of Guernsey) (Amendment) Regulations, 2008.

RSM CI (Audit) Limited is registered as a Recognized Auditor by the Guernsey Financial Services Commission in connection with the audit of market traded securities.

Our offices are located in Jersey’s capital of St Helier, from which we offer all of our services to our Guernsey based clientele.  The Islands are just a 15 minute flight from each other, and we have successfully looked after our Guernsey clients for many years.