No one does actually You may have heard about people selling parts of the moon: they claim that you can become co-owner of moon lots for about US$ 40 per acre. However, in my opinion, the moon belongs to no one, period! No state or government can claim ownership and neither can an individual. To… Continue reading WHO OWNS THE MOON?
Category: Legal
TRUST COMPANIES IN THE DUTCH CARIBBEAN
Rendering trust services without a license is prohibited Many international group structures include one or more Dutch Caribbean legal entities or partnerships. The main reasons for this are the internationally competitive conditions for business development in the area of corporate law, the tax system, and the well-developed professional financial services industry of the Netherlands Antilles.… Continue reading TRUST COMPANIES IN THE DUTCH CARIBBEAN
ELECTRONIC TRANSACTIONS IN THE DUTCH CARIBBEAN
A digital signature has the same legal effect as a hand-written signature The Ordinance on agreements concluded electronically (‘Landsverordening overeenkomsten langs elektronische weg’) became effective on 1 January 2001. Trade, financial services and other commercial activities are being conducted electronically at a rapidly growing rate. The Netherlands Antilles was ahead of many countries in developing… Continue reading ELECTRONIC TRANSACTIONS IN THE DUTCH CARIBBEAN
COMPLIANCE IN THE DUTCH CARIBBEAN
Curacao considers how the US deals with compliance Compliance is essentially about systems and procedures at corporations, banks, funds, trust offices, insurance companies and the like, to ensure that their officers and employees are aware of and take steps to comply with the relevant laws and regulations. It is also referred to as ‘regulatory compliance’.… Continue reading COMPLIANCE IN THE DUTCH CARIBBEAN
FILING FOR BANKRUPTCY IN THE DUTCH CARIBBEAN
The ultimate recourse against a person not paying his debts The bankruptcy order can be applied for either by the debtor or by one or more of its creditors. If the debtor is a company then, pursuant to Article 2:8 par. 4 of the Civil Code, the managing directors do not have the authority to… Continue reading FILING FOR BANKRUPTCY IN THE DUTCH CARIBBEAN
DUTCH CARIBBEAN BUSINESS LICENSES
Citizens versus non-citizens According to the Netherlands Antilles Ordinance on the Establishment of Businesses (‘Landsverordening betreffende vestiging van ondernemingen’, PB 1946 nr. 43) a license is required to establish a company (‘vestigingsvergunning’). A further license is required to operate one as an individual director if one is not a citizen of the Netherlands Antilles (‘directievergunning’).… Continue reading DUTCH CARIBBEAN BUSINESS LICENSES
DUTCH CARIBBEAN ANTI-MONEY-LAUNDERING REGULATIONS (II)
Filing MOT report no blanket protection A provider of financial services, e.g. a bank, has the obligation under Section 11 of the MOT (National Ordinance Penalization Money Laundering) to report to the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), without delay, any unusual transaction made or proposed. Unusual transactions are described in the Ministerial Decree Indicators Unusual Transactions.… Continue reading DUTCH CARIBBEAN ANTI-MONEY-LAUNDERING REGULATIONS (II)
DUTCH CARIBBEAN ANTI-MONEY-LAUNDERING REGULATIONS (I)
An overview Important Netherlands Antilles anti-money-laundering regulations include the National Ordinance Penalization Money Laundering (‘Landsverordening Strafbaarstelling Witwassen van Geld’, ‘NOML’) which criminalizes money laundering, and the National Ordinance on the Reporting of Unusual Transactions (‘Landsverordening Melding Ongebruikelijke Transacties’, ‘MOT’). The latter requires anybody who offers financial services to report, without delay, any ‘unusual transactions’ to… Continue reading DUTCH CARIBBEAN ANTI-MONEY-LAUNDERING REGULATIONS (I)
PROTECTING ONES ASSETS IN A TAX FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT
Dutch Caribbean as the jurisdiction of choice There are millions of people around the world who can be called wealthy. Many of them want to protect their wealth, against political instability, for example. To do so they can choose among various jurisdictions. The Netherlands Antilles (a.k.a. the Dutch Caribbean) is a jurisdiction of choice one… Continue reading PROTECTING ONES ASSETS IN A TAX FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT
ORDINARY VERSUS SUMMARY PROCEEDINGS IN THE DUTCH CARIBBEAN
Interlocutory or summary proceedings provide for immediate relief Article 110 of the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba Code of Civil Procedure (‘the Code’) provides that all adversarial proceedings shall be initiated by means of a petition to the court of first instance. Proceedings so initiated are ordinary proceedings a.k.a. proceedings on the merits. A petitioner may… Continue reading ORDINARY VERSUS SUMMARY PROCEEDINGS IN THE DUTCH CARIBBEAN
THE SUPREME COURT OF THE KINGDOM OF THE NETHERLANDS IN CIVIL PROCEEDINGS
It serves the whole Kingdom The Kingdom of the Netherlands is comprised of three separate jurisdictions, the Netherlands (i.e.: the part of the Kingdom located in North Western Europe), the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba. The Netherlands Antilles and Aruba have their own code of civil procedure, which in certain respects is similar, but not identical… Continue reading THE SUPREME COURT OF THE KINGDOM OF THE NETHERLANDS IN CIVIL PROCEEDINGS
STANDARDS OF DUE PROCESS IN THE NETHERLANDS ANTILLES AND ARUBA
The Supreme Court applies strict standards The European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (‘EVRM’), including Article 6, which safeguards the right of due process, applies to the standards of due process applicable in the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba. Article 6, first sentence, EVRM, reads as follows: “In the determination of… Continue reading STANDARDS OF DUE PROCESS IN THE NETHERLANDS ANTILLES AND ARUBA