Suchergebnisse für société anonyme sans activité et sans actif

Les enjeux de la CSRD pour les entreprises suisses

The CSRD, which substantially expands the scope of companies forced to publish sustainability-related data, has a direct and indirect extraterritorial effect on Swiss companies. Size is not the only relevant criterion. Engaging with the EU market or with European companies can have (unexpected) implications. This worldwide impact is coupled with comprehensive and granular disclosures covering a…

L’application du droit des marchés publics à l’approvisionnement en électricité

In March 2021, the Competition Commission issued a recommendation pertaining to the application of public procurement law and the Federal Internal Market Act to the procurement of electricity. The purpose of this recommendation was to examine in which cases the purchase of electricity must be subject to public tenders; it clarified that public procurement law may apply in several instances to…

Identification des actionnaires, restrictions de transfert et « white listings »

Identification of shareholders is a topic that is governed by various layers of rules under Swiss law, which were adopted at different times to serve different purposes. Most of these rules were adopted at a time when the structure of capital markets was very different from what it is today, and before the digitalization of securities became a topic. Also, growing focus on the fight against money…

Das Gesellschaftsrecht 2022/2023 | Le droit des sociétés 2022/2023

Im berücksichtigten Zeitraum vom 1. April 2022 bis zum 31. März 2023 wurden wenige Urteile gefällt und nur ein Bruchteil davon wurden veröffentlicht bzw. zur Veröffentlichung vorgesehen. Trotzdem…

La banque et le créancier prêteur face à l’insolvabilité de l’emprunteur : moyens préventifs et curatifs

In a contractual relationship, a bank, or more generally a lender, on the one hand, and a borrower on the other, harmoniously blend, as long as the borrower complies with the repayments’ obligations arising from the loan agreement. However, in such an agreement, risk lies primarily on the lender. Indeed, as soon as the money has been made available, the lender takes the default’s risk. This…

Cyberattaque et ransomware: risques juridiques à payer et assurabilité des rançons

Legal risks of paying ransom following a ransomware attack need to be clarified, as such attacks are constant­ly increasing and victims always face the same dilemma: whether to pay the ransom or not? Insurability of ransomware needs also to be clarified, as some cyber insurance companies offer to cover the risk of ransomware without knowing whether such clauses are really insurable. This…

Marge de fluctuation du capital (art. 653s ss nCO) : de la sauvegarde des créanciers et des actionnaires, en particulier lors de l’acquisition par la SA de ses propres actions

As of the entry into force, on 1^st January 2023, of the revised Swiss Limited Companies Law (« Aktiengesell­schaft », « société anonyme »), the margin of fluctuation of capital (« Kapitalband », « marge de fluctuation du capital ») will allow the general assembly of shareholders to authorise the board of directors to increase or reduce the share capital within a certain interval during a maximum…

Le droit des sociétés 2021/2022 / Das Gesellschaftsrecht 2021/2022

Cette année, le Tribunal fédéral a eu l’occasion de se prononcer sur des questions dont on peut s’étonner qu’elles se posent pour la première fois à lui, compte tenu des discussions qu’elles ont…

Sanctions Américaines: Extraterritorialité et Risques Bancaires

A Swiss bank operating in the US must comply with applicable US laws. Difficulties may arise from the „off-shore“ application of US sanctions. The US sanctions regime is well known¹, especially through the publications of the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)² and through the calls for caution issued by the banking supervisory authority³. This contribution provides an update on the…

Les nouveaux droits des actionnaires en matière de restitution et d’accès à l’information

The 19 June 2020 revision of the provisions on the limited by shares company seeks to enhance corporate governance with further transparency and additional shareholder protection. The return of undue benefits claim (art. 678 para. 1 nCO) has been modified to offer Swiss companies and their shareholders a better possibility to obtain redress. This revision also addresses the shareholders’ need to…

Intelligence artificielle: licence libre et gouvernance collective des données à travers l’altruisme des données et les data trusts

Data access is central for the development of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Data may be however subject to a multitude of rights and actors (e.g. copyrighted works or personal data posted on social media or collected through captcha and used for AI training purposes), leading to a fragmented legal framework and legal frictions. This contribution explores how to apply open and free licenses to all…

Corporate Governance et liberté d’organisation

The question of limits to contractual freedom in corporate law is intensively discussed in connection with corporate governance. In that context, the tension between authority and accountability of the board of directors and the best way to address this issue in corporate law are two of the most controversial topics. Over these last years, the trend in almost all jurisdictions has been to…

Das Gesellschaftsrecht 2020/2021 Le droit des sociétés 2020/2021

Auch dieses Jahr befassten sich die Gerichte wieder eingehend mit der Thematik der aktienrechtlichen Verantwortlichkeit und brachten einige interessante Entscheide insbesondere im Zusammenhang mit…

Le compliance officer face au risque pénal découlant du dispositif anti-blanchiment

In the financial sector, the function of compliance officer is closely linked to the fight against money laun­dering, which is one of the main risks for the Swiss financial centre. The profession has important responsibilities in this field and breaches of its obligations can lead to (administrative) criminal sanctions, in particular for money laundering or violation of the duty to report a…

Les effets des nouvelles règles sur la prescription en droit bancaire et financier

The partial reform of limitation rules in the Code of obligations, effective since 2020, has limited impact on the banking and financial sector. Yet specific matters call for renewed attention. We analyse the consequences of the new 3-year and 10-year limitation rule for claims based on torts and unjust enrichment, specifically in connection with defective transfers of funds, intermediated…

Das schweizerische Bankprivatrecht 2020 | Le droit bancaire privé suisse 2020

Das Jahr 2020 war in vielerlei Hinsicht aussergewöhnlich. Demgegenüber bewegen sich die Entscheide zum privaten Bankrecht, die in diesem Jahr gefällt wurden, zu einem Grossteil im Rahmen des…

Trois modèles de contrôle des investissements transfrontaliers

The screening of foreign investment has become a growing concern for many countries. In the midst of a trade war between the US and China as well as issues related to state-owned companies’ interference in the EU, it is bound to become a subject of heated debates in Switzerland. As we continue to live through a global pandemic, some countries are seeing themselves lacking or at least vulnerable…

Entrepreneuriat et incapacité: responsabilité illimitée et direction de sociétés

The contribution focuses on persons under an adult protection measure that deprives them (totally or partially) of civil capacity (legal capacity). The authors consider that the need for protection of these persons is incompatible with any status involving unlimited liability for debts related to a going concern as well as with the functions of a manager of a commercial company. This…

Le droit des sociétés 2019/2020 / Das Gesellschaftsrecht 2019/2020

La décision judiciaire la plus importante de l’année écoulée concerne le droit des groupes de sociétés, à savoir le Cash Pooling, mais cette fois dans le contexte de la responsabilité du conseil d’administration (1.). Un autre arrêt important clarifie l’exercice de la clause échappatoire pour le refus au transfert des actions nominatives liées (2.). La jurisprudence a en outre eu l…

Pièges fiscaux du contrat de prêt

This contribution deals with the tax « traps » of the loan agreement. Loans are usually quite simple from a tax standpoint since they are neutral. Yet, the author examines three specific instances where things do not turn out so well. The first of which is the cancellation of ­indebtedness, which may result in taxable income ­(Article 16 par. 1 or Article 18 par. 1 Direct Federal Tax Law)…

Le droit bancaire privé suisse 2019 / Das schweizerische Bankprivatrecht 2019

Cette chronique s’allonge chaque année. Sa consultation en devient moins aisée. Pour faciliter son accès aux lecteurs nous avons introduit trois nouveautés.

L’émission d’actions digitalisées comme moyen de financement de l’innovation et des PME

Switzerland is a world-leading nation in terms of entrepreneurship and promotion of innovation. Its universities produce a high number of start-ups. Its economy is based on a web of small and medium-sized companies, which make for the bulk of the country’s economic activity. Paradoxically though, the Swiss capital markets are relatively inefficient in channeling savings to companies. Only a…

Le droit à l’information de l’administrateur et sa mise en œuvre judiciaire

This article deals with the right to information and ­inspection of a member of the board of directors (Article 715a of the Swiss Code of Obligations, CO) and the possibility, recently acknowledged by the Federal Tribunal, to raise a claim based on such right. The implementing of Article 715a CO in court gives rise to a number of questions. Often, time is of the essence and a court decision may…

Das Gesellschaftsrecht 2018/2019 / Le droit des sociétés 2018/2019

Im vergangenen Jahr stechen wiederum die Verantwortlichkeitsklagen gegen geschäftsführende Organe hervor (1.). Die weiteren Fälle betreffen die Akkreditierung von Revisoren (2.) sowie die Rechtsprechung zur Vertretung der Gesellschaft bei Interessenkonflikten (3.) und die gemischte Anwalts-AG (4.).

Le fonds de placement contractuel immobilier et la Lex Koller

This contribution discusses the treatment of Swiss real estate funds under the Lex Koller. It explains that for­eigners (in the meaning of Lex Koller) may acquire fund’s units and/or shares or participation certificates in the capital of the fund management company (up to full holding) without a Lex Koller authorization. The analysis takes into account the consequences of such purchases on future…

Das schweizerische Bankprivatrecht 2018 / Le droit bancaire privé suisse 2018

Das Jahr 2018 brachte einen reichen Fundus an Entscheiden im privaten Bankrecht. Etliche davon schreiben Geschichten fort, über die wir bereits in früheren Übersichten berichtet hatten. Dazu gehört die Klage des Drogeriekönigs Müller gegen die Bank J. Safra ­Sarasin im Zusammenhang mit den sogenannten Cum-­Ex-Geschäften (r34), die Fortsetzung der Verantwortlichkeitsklage der Glarner…

Le droit des sociétés 2017/2018 / Das Gesellschaftsrecht 2017/2018

Au cours de l’année écoulée, en plus du point final porté à l’affaire Sika (1.), un certain nombre de décisions se sont distinguées. Le Tribunal fédéral est revenu sur l’exorbitance des conventions d…

Le régime de responsabilité civile en matière d’émissions publiques de jetons digitaux (ICO)

Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) consist of an innovative form of capital raising. In the digital era, it has become technically possible to raise substantial funds within a very short period of time. This paper analyses the civil liability regime applying to misrepresentations communicated to investors acquiring tokens in an ICO. Pursuant to the prospectus liability provisions of the Swiss Code of…

Réflexions critiques sur l’adoption par la Suisse des normes du GAFI en ­matière de transparence des sociétés : du bricolage législatif à l’abolition des actions au porteur ?

As a result of the revised FATF recommendations issued in 2012, Switzerland, under international pressure, had no choice but to enact requirements aiming at creating more transparency with regard to the ownership and control of limited by share companies. In this context, the widespread possibility for Swiss companies to issue bearer shares was particularly at stake. Switzerland inserted these…

Das Gesellschaftsrecht 2016/2017 / Le droit des sociétés 2016/2017

Im vergangenen Jahr stachen neben dem Fall Sika vor allem eine Reihe von Urteilen zum Verantwortlichkeitsrecht ins Auge. Diese bestätigen einerseits die klärende neuere Rechtsprechung zur Business…

Protection des données et nouvelles procédures de communication aux autorités fiscales et de surveillance étrangères

At a time when banking secrecy is shrinking, the lawmaker has decided to redefine the role of data protection in international cooperation procedures with regulatory and tax authorities. The law allows a supervised entity, typically a bank, to transmit confidential information to certain foreign authorities and organizations, but requires it to safeguard the rights of its clients and other third…

L’ouverture de la faillite : situation actuelle et mise en perspective

This article presents the opening of Bankruptcy Procee­d­ings under Swiss law and especially the problem of the costs. Bankruptcy Proceedings against legal entities are normally initiated without prior enforcement proceedings. According to 725 II CO, the board of directors has a legal duty to notify the court in the case of overindebtedness. In this case, the payment of an advance is not…

Assainissements dans le cadre d’un sursis concordataire ­(assainissements-sursis)

Although the Parliament has declined, a bit by accident, the proposal of the Federal Council to get rid of the provisions on the adjournment of bankruptcy (725a CO), it is again proposed deleting them in the context of the contemplated revision of corporate law. The question therefore is why, despite the revision aiming to facilitate restructuring (art. 293 ss LP), companies apparently continue…

L’individu face à la surveillance financière suisse : état des lieux et ­discussion sur un assujettissement direct

This article analyses the legal position of individuals subject to the Swiss supervisory provisions. First, it discusses the emphasis and scrutiny placed on individuals when FINMA is considering the granting of authorisations to financial institutions. Secondly, the article analyses the development of legal requirements that apply to individuals as well as the strengthening of FINMA supervisory…

Das schweizerische Bankprivatrecht 2014–2015/Le droit bancaire privé suisse 2014–2015

Während sich auf der politischen Bühne langsam eine gewisse Entspannung rund um die unversteuerten Gelder auf Schweizer Bankkonten abzeichnet, ist die Rechtsprechung der vergangenen Berichtsperiode…

Das Gesellschaftsrecht 2014/Le droit des sociétés 2014

Das hervorstechende Ereignis im Berichtsjahr ist die schnelle und umfassende Konsolidierung der business judgement rule in der bundesgerichtlichen Rechtsprechung zur Organverantwortlichkeit (I.1)…

La Convention européenne des droits de l’homme (Convention EDH) et les sociétés commerciales

It seems surprising, even paradoxical, that internatio­nal instruments protecting human rights such as the European Convention on Human rights (ECHR) also apply to trading companies. They are intended to protect human beings, not to legal persons, a legal fiction. Nevertheless, the Universal Declaration of Human rights, for instance, and the European Convention itself proclaim rights that are not…