THE SELLING OF SHARES BY A CURACAO COMPANY
Answers to foreign counsel queries
A Curaçao company (NV or BV) may have assets, both local and foreign. Not seldom such a company wants to sell all or a portion of its assets. If foreign assets or a foreign buyer is involved, foreign counsel always asks questions about the laws of Curaçao. Several of those questions will be dealt with here. Let’s assume that a Curaçao company wants to sell its shares in a Dutch BV.
The Curaçao NV or BV may sell some or all of its shares in the Dutch BV. It is customary that board minutes or …
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IMPACT OF LIABILITY TO THE DIRECTOR OF THE DIRECTOR
Curaçao law cannot ‘break through’ to a legal relationship governed by foreign law
Under Section 2:17 subsection 1 of the Curaçao Civil Code, the liability of a legal entity as a managing director of another legal entity (the direct or 1st degree director) also rests jointly and severally on each person who at the time this liability arose for the legal entity was its managing director (the indirect or 2nd degree director). It applies to this indirect managing director as it applies to the direct managing director that he will not be liable if he can prove that he cannot …
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NEW CORPORATE CODE SINT MAARTEN
Various matters not yet discussed here
As per April 1, 2014 the amended Corporate Code (Book 2 Civil Code) of St. Maarten entered into force. The prohibition of appointing Supervisory Directors besides a ‘one-tier Board’ has been deleted (Article 2:19 paragraph 1 Corporate Code). Supervisory Directors being a legal entity are allowed to a limited extent (Article 2:19 paragraph 3 Corporate Code).
For the NV and the BV the law determines who has the right to attend meetings (Article 2:129/229 Corporate Code). Unfortunately, in this connection no attention is given to the holders of depositary receipts for shares. In the …
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ELECTRONIC AGREEMENTS IN CARACAO AND SINT MAARTEN
The Dutch Caribbean digital signature exists for over 10 years
The Curacao Ordinance on Electronic Agreements a.k.a. the Curacao Ordinance on agreements concluded electronically (Landsverordening overeenkomsten langs elektronische weg) became effective on 1 January 2001. The Ordinance in St. Maarten is similar to the one in Curacao.
The Ordinance provides that an electronic signature shall have the same legal effect as a hand-written signature, and may be admitted as evidence in legal proceedings. An electronic signature is described as electronic data which are attached to or have a logical association with other electronic data and are used as a tool …
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PROPOSED REVIEW DUTCH CARIBBEAN CORPORATE CODE
Various proposals not yes discussed here
The prohibition of appointing Supervisory Directors besides a ‘one-tier Board’ will be deleted (Article 2:19 paragraph 1 proposed bill). Supervisory Directors being a legal entity are allowed to a limited extent (Article 2:19 paragraph 3 proposed bill).
For the NV and the BV the law determines who has the right to attend meetings (Article 2:129/229 proposed bill). Unfortunately, in this connection no attention is given to the holders of depositary receipts for shares. In the case of concurred depositary receipts (i.e. certificates released with the co-operation of the corporation) I would prefer to grant the holders …
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PROPOSED REVIEW DUTCH CARIBBEAN CROSS BORDER MERGER LEGISLATION
Proposed bill introduces outbound mergers
Earlier in 2010, a draft bill was proposed to amend the Corporate Code (Book 2 Civil Code) of Curacao, St. Maarten, Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba (which formerly constituted the Netherlands Antilles). Hopefully, the Bill comes into force in 2011.
The possibility already currently exists that in connection with a merger, a foreign legal entity as the disappearing legal entity merges with a comparable legal form of Book 2 BW on the condition that the law governing that foreign legal entity is not incompatible with the merger and the manner in which it is brought …
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PROPOSED REVIEW DUTCH CARIBBEAN LEGISLATION ON REPRESENTATION
Restrictions in managing authority work through into the representative authority
Earlier in 2010, a draft bill was proposed to amend the Corporate Code (Book 2 Civil Code) of Curacao, St. Maarten, Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba (which formerly constituted the Netherlands Antilles). Hopefully, the Bill comes into force in 2011. Some of the proposed changes will be discussed here.
Restrictions of the managing authority can arise from a by-law or a corporate agreement. Individual Managing Directors exercise their powers with due observance of the resolutions of the Management Board (Article 2:8 paragraph 2 Civil Code). Subject to restrictions arising from …
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INQUIRY PROCEDURE TO BE INTRODUCED IN THE DUTCH CARIBBEAN
The Joint Court will become the forum of choice for corporate disputes
Earlier in 2010, a draft bill was proposed to amend the Corporate Code (Book 2 Civil Code) of Curacao, St. Maarten, Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba (which formerly constituted the Netherlands Antilles). The proposed legislation introduces a so-called inquiry procedure for, amongst others, limited liability companies. The inquiry procedure (a.k.a. investigation proceedings) can result in a court ordered investigation into the affairs of a corporation.
Shareholders of such a corporation (i.e. an NV or BV) may file a petition with the Joint Court of Justice of Aruba, Curacao …
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THE DUTCH CARIBBEAN INCORPORATION DOCTRINE
The courts apply the law of the state where the legal entity was incorporated
The Netherlands Antilles adheres to the Incorporation Doctrine (Netherlands Antilles State Ordinance of 9 September 1960, which entered into force on the 10th of September 1960, P.B. 1960, 166). According to this doctrine, the internal affairs of a corporation are governed solely by the laws of the state in which it was formally incorporated. This doctrine was confirmed in the cases of Natco Trust v. mr Thesseling q.q., Hoge Raad (Dutch Supreme Court) 20 April 1990, NJ 1991, 560; TAR-Justicia 1 (1991), p. 24-35, and IBC …
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DIRECTORS’ LIABILITY IN THE DUTCH CARIBBEAN
Personal and several liability
The members of the Board of Directors are personally and severally liable towards the NV (or BV, as the case may be) for any loss caused by the improper performance of duties. Each member of the Board who proves that he cannot be blamed for such improper performance and that the activities concerned fall outside the scope of activities addressed to him, and that he has not been negligent in taking steps to avert the related consequences, is not liable (Article 2:14 Section 4 Netherlands Antilles Civil Code; NACC). Therefore, a division of tasks among such …
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PREJUDICED INTERESTS OF MINORITY SHAREHOLDERS IN THE NETHERLANDS ANTILLES
They may force the company to take-over their shares
Article 2:251(1) of the Netherlands Antilles Civil Code reads as follows: “A shareholder of registered shares, whose rights or interests are prejudiced to such an extent, by the conduct of the company or one or more co-shareholders, that a continuation of his shareholding cannot reasonably be required of him, may institute a claim against the company for withdrawal, demanding that his shares be acquired against payment in cash”.
This provision may only be successfully triggered in exceptional circumstances. This could be the case if the company or co-shareholders have a structural policy …
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ARUBAN LAW REGARDING CORPORATE AUTHORITY
The Aruba Trade Register should be checked
The laws of Aruba provide that, subject to restrictions laid down by any statutory provision or a corporation’s articles of association, the board of directors of a company shall be competent to represent the company, i.e. a limited liability company (NV, AVV or VBA). In the event of the company having several managing directors, any managing director shall be competent, insofar as not otherwise provided by the articles of association (or sometimes bylaws). The articles of association may also grant other officers, to be designated by or pursuant to the articles, representative authority, …
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