Katarzyna Jaroszyńska-Lewandowska
Election of the supervisory board by groups: An important right of minority shareholders
Poland’s Commercial Companies Code provides for a number of institutions strengthening the position of minority shareholders. One is that shareholders representing a fifth of the share capital may demand that the company’s supervisory board be elected by voting in separate groups (Art. 385). This is a departure from the statutory method of appointing the supervisory board by a resolution of the general meeting adopted by a simple majority of votes. One or more shareholders representing 20% of the share capital may demand that the supervisory board be elected in groups, even if the company’s statute provides for a different way of appointing the supervisory board, e.g. through personal entitlements.
Private subscription of shares in a non-public company
A private subscription is a convenient method to raise share capital. How to carry it out in practice?
Will a tax exemption attract investors to the Warsaw Stock Exchange?
One of this year’s tax amendments that may affect Polish capital market participants is the income tax exemption for taxpayers investing in IPOs of companies entering the Warsaw Stock Exchange. Under certain conditions, they will be exempt from capital gains tax.
Will newly listed companies on the Warsaw Stock Exchange benefit from new tax regulations?
The Polish Deal introduces several solutions for Polish capital market participants, including corporate income tax changes for companies preparing to debut on the stock exchange. This amendment came into force on 1 January 2022.
Quest: Listing on the Warsaw Stock Exchange
The game development market in Poland and worldwide is steadily growing, and ambitious companies from the game sector are looking for ways to increase brand recognition and raise funds for new productions. This leads them to consider listing their shares on the stock exchange. So the question is, who can go public, what is to be gained from doing so, and how to go about it?
Dematerialisation of shares: Change in deadlines and the perspective of the Personal Data Protection Office
The mandatory dematerialisation of shares of stock, introduced by the 30 August 2019 amendment of the Commercial Companies Code, was intended to bring about a situation as of 1 January 2021 where the shares of all joint-stock companies and joint-stock limited partnerships in Poland would take the form of an electronic record, and share documents would lose their legal force from that date. But the coronavirus epidemic has made it difficult for commercial entities to make this organisational change, and the parliament has extended the deadlines for complying with certain obligations related to dematerialisation of shares. The Polish Personal Data Protection Office has also issued an opinion on dematerialisation.
Acquisition of banks under KNF supervision
The act of 9 November 2018 amending a number of laws, including the Banking Law, in order to reinforce oversight of the financial market entered into force at the beginning of this year. A new chapter was consequently added to the Banking Law concerning forced acquisition of banks coordinated by the Polish Financial Supervision Authority (KNF). The act has now been in force for several months, and it is a good occasion to examine in more detail the new powers vested in KNF.
