BEARER SHARES IN A NETHERLANDS CARIBBEAN COMPANY

Registered shares must be issued first On 1 March 2004, the new Netherlands Antilles act on corporate law (Book 2 Civil Code) became effective. Since that date it is no longer possible to (directly) issue bearer shares. A company with only bearer shares has no shareholders’ register. Only a public limited liability company (NV) may… Continue reading BEARER SHARES IN A NETHERLANDS CARIBBEAN COMPANY

LEGAL REBELS ARE REMAKING THE LEGAL PROFESSION

Dozens of lawyers are remaking their corners of the profession According to the American Bar Association (ABA), “the legal profession is not just struggling through a recession but undergoing a structural break with the past. There is a growing consensus that the profession that emerges from this downturn will be different in fundamental ways from… Continue reading LEGAL REBELS ARE REMAKING THE LEGAL PROFESSION

THE REPAYMENT OF SHARE PREMIUM IN THE NETHERLANDS CARIBBEAN

Net equity may not be or become negative From the legal point of view in Netherlands Antilles, share premium (’agio’) forms part of the company’s free reserves, and does not qualify as share capital. If share premium is to be repaid, the company’s financial condition should at the time allow for it, i.e. the net… Continue reading THE REPAYMENT OF SHARE PREMIUM IN THE NETHERLANDS CARIBBEAN

LIFTING OF AN ATTACHMENT UNDER THE LAWS OF THE DUTCH CARIBBEAN (II)

Defendant has to show that the claim is invalid Article 705, Paragraph 2 of the Netherlands Antilles Code of Civil Procedure states that the lifting of an attachment may be ordered if it appears summarily that the claim is invalid. According to existing case law of the Dutch Supreme Court (see for instance Supreme Court… Continue reading LIFTING OF AN ATTACHMENT UNDER THE LAWS OF THE DUTCH CARIBBEAN (II)

LIFTING OF AN ATTACHMENT UNDER THE LAWS OF THE DUTCH CARIBBEAN (I)

Freezing assets is rather easy Under Netherlands Antilles law 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. It is not required, under Netherlands Antilles law, that the litigant needs to demonstrate that,… Continue reading LIFTING OF AN ATTACHMENT UNDER THE LAWS OF THE DUTCH CARIBBEAN (I)

SUMMARY PROCEEDINGS IN THE DUTCH CARIBBEAN (IV)

Only condemnatory judgments are allowed As far as the form and the content of a decision in summary proceedings is concerned, the judge has great latitude in reaching a decision. A guiding principle for the judge will always be a policy of not going beyond what might be necessary or well-balanced as far as the… Continue reading SUMMARY PROCEEDINGS IN THE DUTCH CARIBBEAN (IV)

SUMMARY PROCEEDINGS IN THE DUTCH CARIBBEAN (III)

Judge will balance interests In general the court will take into account the detriment which the plaintiff in summary proceedings will suffer if he has to wait too long for a judgment in a procedure on the merits. In summary proceedings the judge needs to balance the interests of the plaintiff and the defendant. In… Continue reading SUMMARY PROCEEDINGS IN THE DUTCH CARIBBEAN (III)

SUMMARY PROCEEDINGS IN THE DUTCH CARIBBEAN (II)

Urgency is a requirement Provisional measures may always be given in summary proceedings in civil cases if the claim meets the following three conditions: (i) there is an urgent interest at stake; (ii) the interests of both parties needs to be balanced; and (iii) the balancing of interests justifies a decision in summary proceedings. The… Continue reading SUMMARY PROCEEDINGS IN THE DUTCH CARIBBEAN (II)

SUMMARY PROCEEDINGS IN THE DUTCH CARIBBEAN (I)

Attempting to obtain temporary instructions from the court The procedure for provisional measures in summary proceedings (in Dutch: kort geding), a.k.a. interlocutory proceedings, is an interim injunction procedure before the court. Such proceedings, under Netherlands Antilles law, are aimed at obtaining temporary instructions from the court, not at receiving a final decision in the case.… Continue reading SUMMARY PROCEEDINGS IN THE DUTCH CARIBBEAN (I)

FILE SHARING IN THE DUTCH CARIBBEAN

Internet service providers should act prudently regarding claimed copyright infringement File sharing, as is commonly understood, involves distributing or providing access to electronically stored data. One, if not the most, popular way to do this is through the use of so-called (distributed) peer-to-peer (P2P) networking programs. The rising popularity of music formats such as mp3… Continue reading FILE SHARING IN THE DUTCH CARIBBEAN

AGENCY AND DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENTS IN THE NETHERLANDS CARIBBEAN (II)

Distribution agreement So-called agency agreements frequently bear resemblance in actual practice, to (certain aspects of) distribution agreements. Hence, so-called ‘agency agreements’ are in actual fact not infrequently mixed type agreements, consisting of an agent and a distribution element. In general, a distributor buys goods from a principal in his own name and for his own… Continue reading AGENCY AND DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENTS IN THE NETHERLANDS CARIBBEAN (II)

AGENCY AND DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENTS IN THE NETHERLANDS CARIBBEAN (I)

Commercial Agency Agreement According to Section 7:428, Paragraph 1, of the Netherlands Antilles Civil Code, a commercial agency contract (agentuurovereenkomst) is a contract for services whereby one party, the principal, instructs the other party, the commercial agent, and whereby the latter binds himself, for a fixed or indeterminate term and for remuneration, to act as… Continue reading AGENCY AND DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENTS IN THE NETHERLANDS CARIBBEAN (I)