DECLARING DIVIDENDS IN THE DUTCH CARIBBEAN
Resolutions only marginally examined by the court
Directly connected to the approval of annual accounts, the general meeting of the NV (or BV, as the case may be) or any other body designated in the articles of incorporation, shall resolve the distribution or reservation of profits according to aforementioned annual accounts and the payment of any other distributions flowing from the equity capital as apparent from the annual accounts. The general meeting, or any other body designated in the articles, may resolve to pay interim distributions for the account of the current financial year or for the account of a …
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LIABILITY FOR NOT OR LATE FILING FOR BANKRUPTCY IN THE DUTCH CARIBBEAN
No obligation to file for bankruptcy
There is no statutory obligation in the Netherlands Antilles for managing directors of a company to file for the bankruptcy of the company. Managing directors are therefore not responsible to the creditors for damages sustained by them as a result of any ‘late’ filing for bankruptcy. There is no such obligation for shareholders of a company either. A liquidator of a company shall, however, file for bankruptcy if he finds that the liabilities are likely to exceed the assets, unless all known creditors agree in writing that the liquidation be continued on a voluntary …
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INADEQUATE CAPITALIZATION IN THE DUTCH CARIBBEAN
Liability for thin-capitalization?
In terms of ‘piercing the corporate veil’, thin or inadequate capitalization usually means capitalization that is not in proportion to the nature of the risks the business of the corporation necessarily entails; in other words it is based on likely economic needs rather than legal requirements.
Shareholders of a company in the Netherlands Antilles are under an obligation to pay to the company what is due with respect to the shares, i.e. the shareholder’s capital contribution, and such contribution may not be withdrawn without due process. This is the only financial obligation of a shareholder towards the …
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LIABILITY OF DE FACTO MANAGING DIRECTORS IN THE DUTCH CARIBBEAN
Policy maker can be held liable
As a general rule a corporation in the Netherlands Antilles is a legal entity distinct from its shareholders. In terms of liability for mismanagement the law focuses on the managing directors as well as other persons who actually “act as managers” (a.k.a. policy makers or de facto managing directors).
Most legal commentators take the view that instructions from a parent company to a subsidiary do not, as such, constitute “management” in the above sense. However, statutory language is ambiguous and there is no Netherlands Antilles case law on this issue. Those who “act as …
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PRE-EMPTION RIGHTS IN THE DUTCH CARIBBEAN
Prevent a shareholder from dilution
According to article 2:106 of the Netherlands Antilles Civil Code shareholders have a pre-emption right on the issue of new shares, being the right to be offered any new issue in each class, pro rata to the number of shares of such class held by them. The pre-emption right is intended to protect the interests of shareholders and to prevent their stake from being diluted.
According to the Civil Code there are three ways to limit the pre-emption rights of the shareholders:
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THE FINANCIALS OF A DUTCH CARIBBEAN COMPANY
Management’s responsibility
According to Netherlands Antilles law, annually, within eight months after the company’s financial year has ended, (unless this term has been extended by the general meeting) annual statements must be drawn up by the management board and submitted to the general meeting of shareholders. The annual statements, comprising the balance sheet, profit and loss account and an explanatory statement, should be signed by all the directors.
The annual statements should be approved by the general meeting of shareholders. Said meeting can and, when this is prescribed by the articles of association, shall appoint an expert to regularly supervise the bookkeeping and to report to …
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DUTCH CARIBBEAN COMPANIES AND LIABILITY ISSUES
Shareholders are not personally liable
Shareholders of an NV or BV are not personally liable for the liabilities of the company, except where this would be contrary to the law. With the exception of actions based on tort or when a shareholder may be held liable because he is considered a policy maker (see below), in general, the shareholders only obligation is to pay to the company the consideration for the share issue, i.e. a payment on the shares.
The members of the board of directors are personally and severally liable towards the company for any loss caused by the …
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DIRECTORS OF A DUTCH CARIBBEAN COMPANY
May a director resign when he chooses to do so?
A Netherlands Antilles company (NV or BV) must have either a local director or a local representative. A company is not required to have more than one director, unless the articles of association provide otherwise. The Netherlands Antilles Corporate Code does not oblige the shareholders to appoint new board members once all board members have resigned.
Pursuant to Article 2:12(1) Netherlands Antilles Civil Code, the articles of association of the company must provide for the manner in which provisions are made for the interim management and administration of the company …
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VOLUNTARY DISSOLUTION OF A DUTCH CARIBBEAN COMPANY
Dissolution requires a shareholders’ decision
The shareholders of a Netherlands Antilles company may voluntarily decide to dissolve a company (NV or BV), which requires a shareholders’ resolution in accordance with the articles of association.
Publication of the dissolution of the company in the ‘Curaçaosche Courant’ (the Official Gazette of the Netherlands Antilles) by the liquidator (a.k.a. receiver) is mandatory. As is the registration of the dissolution and deregistration of the directors at the commercial register of the Chamber of Commerce.
Under Article 2:30(1) Netherlands Antilles Civil Code, the liquidator realizes the assets of a company and settles all liabilities of …
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MANAGING A COMPANY WHICH BELONGS TO A FOREIGN OWNER
A contractual arrangement may limit the board’s powers
Shareholders of a Dutch Caribbean NV or BV may choose between the English/American one-board system and the traditional continental European two-tier system. In a two-tier system there is a management board (parallel to the inside directors on a one-tier board) and a separate supervisory board (parallel to the outside directors on a one-tier board). Although every company (NV or BV) has a management board, not every company has a supervisory board.
Article 2:14 of the Netherlands Antilles Corporate Code (a.k.a. Book 2 Civil Code) provides that each member of the board of …
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STATUTORY MERGERS UNDER THE LAWS OF THE DUTCH CARIBBEAN
Mergers mostly within a group of companies
A statutory merger involves at least two legal entities. The law uses the terms acquiring and disappearing legal entity. The law specifies that only legal entities having the same legal form may merge, specifying that a BV (closed limited liability company) and a NV (public limited liability company) are considered to be the same. Statutory mergers are used mostly within a group of companies.
Essential for a statutory merger is that the title of all assets and liabilities of one legal entity transfer in their entirety to another legal entity. An actual transfer …
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CORPORATE CONFLICTS OF INTERESTS UNDER THE LAWS OF THE DUTCH CARIBBEAN
A particular provision may help to prevent disputes
The board of directors has the function of managing, i.e., making policy and conducting the day-to-day management of the corporation. Except for restrictions in the articles of association, the board of directors is responsible for the management of the BV or NV (private or public limited liability company) and is authorized to represent it.
A conflict of interests is not in itself improper. The manner in which one deals with it determines the propriety of a transaction or one’s conduct. According to Article 2:11 par. 3 of the Netherlands Antilles Civil Code, …
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