EU Company Law

Company law implementation of the European directive on takeover bids: Government response and summary of responses to the consultation document (issued January 2005). (PDF) (link opens in a new window)

Government response and summary responses to the consultation document on European Directive on takeover bids (URN 05/511).

Consultation document on the electronic commerce directive: the liability of hyperlinkers, location tool services and content aggregators. Government response and summary of responses. (PDF) (link opens in a new window)

Summary of the responses received and the Government response to the consultation (URN 05/1245) on whether the current law created problems for providers of hyperlinking, location tool or content aggregation services, and whether extending the liability in Articles 12 and 14 of Directive 2000/31/EC is an appropriate remedy.

European Commission consultation on the simplification of EU company law and accounting and audit regulation. (PDF) (link opens in a new window)

Closed EC consultation on simplification of EU Company Law. Note and request for views. Consultation period ended 13 October 2007.

European company law and corporate governance: directive proposals on company reporting, capital maintenance and transfer of the registered office of a company. (PDF) (link opens in a new window)

Government response and summary of responses to public consultation carried out on the same three proposals. Consultation closed on 3 June 2005.

European company law and corporate governance: implementation of Directive 2006/46/EC on company reporting: amending the accounting directives: a consultative document. (PDF) (link opens in a new window)

Closed consultation on proposals to implement amendments to the fourth and seventh accounting directives and to the bank accounts and insurance accounts directives. The overall objective of the directive is to further enhance confidence in the financial statements and annual reports published by European companies by making more transparent financial arrangements and requiring companies to give information relevant to good corporate governance whilst seeking to avoid placing unnecessary burdens on business. Consultation period ended 21 May 2007.

European company law and governance: implementation of directive 2005/56/EC on cross-border mergers of limited liability companies: a consultative document. (PDF) (link opens in a new window)

Closed consultation. Provides details clarifying the purpose of this Directive etc and also attaches the Regulatory Impact Assessment. See 07/605AN for the draft regulations and 07/1420 for the Government response. Consultation period ended 1 June 2007.

European company law: draft directive on cross-border mergers. A consultative document. (PDF) (link opens in a new window)

Closed consultation. Consultation document seeking views on proposal for a company law directive on cross-border mergers, published by the European Commission on 18 November 2003. This directive concerns methods of corporate restructuring for public and private companies. Consultation period ended 20 September 2004.

Government response to consultation on the proposal for a European Council regulation on the statute for a European private company (SPE). (PDF) (link opens in a new window)

Summarises views expressed and the Government's response to the consultation (URN 08/1318) on the proposal for a European Council regulation on the statute for a European private company, a new European legal form intended to enhance the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises by facilitating their establishment and operation in the Single Market.

EUROPEAN COMPANY LAW AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

Implementation of Directive 2006/43/EC on Statutory Audits of Annual and Consolidated Accounts (8th Company Law Directive): policy conclusions and draft regulations. (PDF) (link opens in a new window)

Follow-up to the Government's consultation paper (URN 07/609) on implementation of the Statutory Audit Directive, including draft regulations for comment. See URN 07/1694 for the Government's final conclusions.

Implementation of the Directive on the exercise of certain rights of shareholders in listed companies: a consultation document. (PDF) (link opens in a new window)

Consultation invited views on the implementation of Directive 2007/36/EC, the Shareholders' Rights Directive by making related changes to legislative provisions on shareholder rights in the Companies Act 2006. The Directive aims to improve corporate governance in EU companies traded on regulated markets by enabling shareholders to exercise their voting rights and rights to information more easily. Includes draft legislation and impact assessment. Consultation period ended 30 January 2009. See draft regulation URN 09/998 and Government response 09/943.

Implementation of the EU directive on takeover bids: guidance on changes to the rules on company takeovers. (PDF) (link opens in a new window)

Background on the EU directive on takeover bids '(the Takeovers Directive'); a guide to regulations making changes to the takeover regulatory regime. Effective from 20 May 2007.

Promoting competitiveness. The UK approach to EU company law and corporate governance. (PDF) (link opens in a new window)

Outlines UK support for the European Commission's Action Plan on modernising company law and enhancing corporate governance. Sets out DTI's objectives in relation to the Action Plan, looks at opportunities for shaping its future development, and explains how businesses can get involved.

Proposal for a European Council regulation on the statute for a European private company (SPE): consultation document. (PDF) (link opens in a new window)

Closed consultation seeking views on a proposal to create a new European legal form intended to enhance the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises by facilitating their establishment and operation in the Single Market. Includes the European Commission proposal and a regulatory impact assessment. Consultation period ended 21 November 2008. See also Government response URN 09/628.

Proposed provisions for inclusion in regulations implementing the first company law amendment directive. (PDF) (link opens in a new window)

Revisions to the first directive are essentially designed to facilitate e-communications, in particular between companies and the national registrar (Companies House in the UK).

UK response. European Commission green paper on damages actions for breach of community antitrust rules. (PDF) (link opens in a new window)

The European Commission has consulted member states and other interested parties in a green paper on the general issues arising from damages actions for a breach of EC antitrust rules. The green paper identifies existing obstacles to taking private actions or damages in the national courts and suggests a number of options for consideration and possible action by member states in respect of their legal systems as applied to competition disputes, and for possible action at the community level. The response sets out the position of the UK Government and examines to what extent the options match, overlap or differ from current UK law.