Yes, Europe is ridiculously expensive in terms of taxes. Even the US is better with their 60/40 tax treatment for fx traders. However there are places in Europe where you can pay nothing, legally.
Bulgaria is a good example of a European country with very low taxes. However this would also mean you have to trade from Bulgaria so one can not live elsewhere in Europe and have a business in another country and trade from home, then you still get taxed in the country you live in.
What about Zug (a canton or city in Switzerland)? Here's some info about that: http://www.expatica.com/ch/finance/Taxes-in-Switzerland_101589.html The 3 tables therein are interessting. Zug has the least taxes. One should take a look for "Free Trade Zones" in foreign countries... That's also the solution in Dubai...
Dubai is definitely tax-free but I prefer one night stands over marriage. Zug, Switzerland is a good choice as the corporate income tax is slightly less than 15% and the personal income tax is no more than 22% max. The problem with these tax havens is the place itself. Who the hell wants to live in Zug? I'm not 90 years old so I want to live in a crowded place.
Haha Yes, that's better than Zug but I'm still quite angry because I keep thinking about how to pay nothing in places like Hong Kong, Panama, Singapore, Malaysia, etc. because these are good places with territorial tax system, yet I can't find a way to take advantage of it.
Bulgaria is on the Black Sea not Mediterranean, you might find yourself surprised with the weather and the beaches....
I might stick around Asia a few more years actually. And you are right Podemos as well as separatists tensions and the taste of spanish folks to show off their frustration in public squares are reasons that have me reluctant to ever move to Spain. Portugal is much quieter, even in the depth of the crisis the population there was rather consensual in following mainstream politics compared to their eastern neighbour afaik It's also overall a safe country, which I apreciate. Yet Spain is almost home whereas Portugal is not, and i see some benefit in raising kids in Spain, especially Madrid, rather than in Portugal (but than I know Spain much better)
For a private trader, add about 11% for pension scheme etc., called AHV. Even as a pensioner, one has to pay this with no increase in the pension amount. Better to trade as a company in Zug, where the actual top tax percentage is about 17% net incl. all the different taxes (income, wealth, church). But if you take out dividends, these are taxed at about half the applicable income tax for the shareholder. (about half, because there is a change in the percentages coming soon)