INDEPENDENT SUPERVISORY BOARD IN ST. MAARTEN

Should be mandatory for government-owned entities Under the laws of St. Maarten, the main task of a board of supervisory directors is to supervise the board of managing directors of a limited liability company (NV or BV). The St. Maarten Corporate Code provides for two different kinds of boards of supervisory directors, a “regular” board… Continue reading INDEPENDENT SUPERVISORY BOARD IN ST. MAARTEN

US LAW GOVERNED AGREEMENTS

Curaçao and St. Maarten Courts will accept the choice of laws One of the questions frequently asked is whether the Courts in Curaçao or St. Maarten, if an action is brought before them, will pay deference to a “choice of governing law” and/or venue provision in an agreement, in particular when the parties have chosen… Continue reading US LAW GOVERNED AGREEMENTS

ELECTRONIC MONEY INSTITUTIONS IN ARUBA

A license is required The European Central Bank defines e-money as follows (a non-legal definition): “E-money can be defined as any amount of monetary value represented by a claim issued on a prepaid basis, stored in an electronic medium (for example, a card or computer) and accepted as a means of payment by undertakings other… Continue reading ELECTRONIC MONEY INSTITUTIONS IN ARUBA

THE ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION OF A CURAÇAO COMPANY (III)

Controlling minority? Such a situation (i.e. example 2) is possibly less desirable from the company’s perspective, certainly where the more essential decision-making is concerned. Although decisions should be taken on the basis of a discussion of content and it will not always be possible to predict how the meeting of shareholders will vote, the possibility… Continue reading THE ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION OF A CURAÇAO COMPANY (III)

THE ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION OF A CURAÇAO COMPANY (I)

Comparable with a constitution The articles of association of a Curaçao company (a public [NV] or private [BV] limited liability company) are somewhat comparable with a constitution or state regulations: the articles of association comprise – like the law, but also additionally to the law and, where permitted, unlike the law – the rules of… Continue reading THE ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION OF A CURAÇAO COMPANY (I)

VALIDLY REPRESENTING A CURACAO COMPANY

Extract and Articles are of importance Limited liability companies like the Curaçao NV or BV are legal entities. Whether or not a managing director has the authority to validly represent a company can be derived from the extract from the Trade Register of the Chamber of Commerce of Curaçao together with the articles of association… Continue reading VALIDLY REPRESENTING A CURACAO COMPANY

ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING LAWS IN CURACAO

Money laundering is prohibited Title XXXI of the Penal Code of Curaçao basically prohibits any type of money laundering. The National Ordinance on the Reporting of Unusual Transactions (NORUT) obliges service providers acting in the course of a business or profession, to report unusual transactions. The National Ordinance on Identification of clients when Rendering Services (NOIS)… Continue reading ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING LAWS IN CURACAO

IMPACT OF THE LIABILITY TO THE DIRECTOR OF THE DIRECTOR (II)

2nd degree director as director of a foreign corporate director It appears from the 2011 ruling referred to by the Supreme Court that Section 2:11 of the Dutch Civil Code is applicable to the joint and several liability of a director of a Dutch legal entity being a director of another Dutch legal entity. The… Continue reading IMPACT OF THE LIABILITY TO THE DIRECTOR OF THE DIRECTOR (II)

IMPACT OF THE LIABILITY TO THE DIRECTOR OF THE DIRECTOR (I)

Liability of the 2nd degree director Under Section 2:17 subsection 1 of the Curaçao Civil Code, the liability of a legal entity as a 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… Continue reading IMPACT OF THE LIABILITY TO THE DIRECTOR OF THE DIRECTOR (I)

ASSET PROTECTION IN CURACAO

Curaçao: a jurisdiction not to be missed A Curaçao private foundation or a trust is often used for asset protection and privacy purposes. The Curaçao private foundation and the Curaçao trust must be set up by a notarial deed executed before a civil law notary in Curaçao. Both the private foundation and the trust are… Continue reading ASSET PROTECTION IN CURACAO

THE COSTS OF LITIGATION

Parties have to bear their own attorney costs Under the laws of Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, St. Maarten, St. Eustatius and Saba, generally speaking, each party has to bear its own attorney costs, except if there is an agreement in place between the parties providing for such compensation. Other costs related to proceedings are for instance… Continue reading THE COSTS OF LITIGATION

SEIZING ASSETS IN THE DUTCH CARIBBEAN

Court approval required, but freezing assets is rather easy Under the laws of Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, St. Maarten, St. Eustatius and Saba any party with a prima facie claim may file a petition for a court order granting an attachment, which petitions are generally granted, solely based on the allegations in the petition. Seizing assets… Continue reading SEIZING ASSETS IN THE DUTCH CARIBBEAN