The European Company ('SE') is a legal entity offering a European perspective for businesses. Its purpose is to allow businesses that wish to extend their activities beyond their home Member State to operate throughout the EU on the basis of one set of rules and a unified management system. The book explains how to set up and organise a European Company, as well as setting out the text of the EC instruments (a Regulation and a Directive) serving as its legal basis, and a list of national implementing laws. This second volume reports on the countries which have legislated during 2005 and 2006. Divided into two sections, it first offers critical review of the usefulness of, and the opportunities presented by, this new vehicle; analyses the Regulation and the Directive; and examines the tax aspects of the SE. The second part reports on each of the Member States.

This fully updated new edition provides the best-known practical overview of the law regarding companies, business activities, and capital markets in Europe, at both the European Union (EU) and Member State levels. It incorporates analysis of recent developments including the impact of global initiatives in such aspects of the corporate environment as regulation of financial institutions and non-financial reporting obligations with a view to sustainability and other social responsibility concerns. The authors, all leading experts in European corporate law, describe current and emerging trends in such areas of corporate law practice as the following: - rules on cross-border mergers; - employee involvement in business activities; - the initiatives by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the EU to curb tax avoidance; - Member States’ implementation of EU legislation; - a company’s freedom to incorporate in a jurisdiction not its own; - competition among the legal forms of different Member States; and - safeguarding of employee involvement in cross-border transactions. With respect to national law, the laws of Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, and the United Kingdom are taken into account; Italy is now included in this new edition. As in earlier editions, the authors demonstrate that analysis and comparison of national corporate laws yield highly valuable general principles and observations, not least because business organizations, wherever located, tend to show a fundamentally similar set of legal characteristics. The Third Edition will continue to be of great value to practitioners and academics who wish to acquire a better understanding of European corporate law, in its supranational dimension as well as in the similarities and differences among the various national legal systems.

The Council Directive of 21 April 2004 on takeover bids sets forth the general principles applicable to takeover bids and clarifies certain minimum rules with respect to the procedure for a takeover bid, the obligation to make a mandatory bid in the event a minimum threshold is crossed and the majority shareholder's squeeze-out right as well as the minority shareholders' sell-out right. Furthermore, the Directive defines the authority which is competent to approve offer documents and supervise takeover bids, and provides for optional restrictions on the actions of the target company's management and on defence mechanisms. This book discusses the Takeover Directive and its implementing rules in each Member State of the European Union and the European Economic Area, providing companies and their advisors with useful insight into the legal framework and principles applicable to takeover bids in the region.

This discussion of the Cross-Border Merger Directive and its implementing legislation in each Member State of the European Union and the European Economic Area provides companies and their advisors with useful insight into the legal framework applicable to, and the tax treatment of, cross-border mergers throughout the European Economic Area. Analysis of the Community rules laid down in the Cross-Border Merger Directive and the Community rules on the tax treatment of cross-border mergers is complemented by chapters on the implementing legislation in each Member State, prepared in accordance with a common format and contributed by a practitioner from each state. Annexes contain the Cross-Border Merger Directive (Annex I), the Parent-Subsidiary Directive (Annex II) and a list of the implementing legislation in each Member State (Annex III).

The Cambridge Yearbook of European Legal Studies provides a new forum for the scrutiny of significant issues in European Union Law, the Law of the Council of Europe, and Comparative Law with a 'European' dimension, and particularly those which have come to the fore during the year preceding publication. The contributions appearing in the collection are commissioned by the Centre for European Legal Studies (CELS) Cambridge, which is the research Centre of Cambridge University Law Faculty specialising in European legal issues. The papers presented are all at the cutting edge of the fields which.

The Cambridge Yearbook of European Legal Studies provides a new forum for the scrutiny of significant issues in European Union Law, the Law of the Council of Europe, and Comparative Law with a "European" dimension, and particularly those which have come to the fore during the year preceding publication. The contributions appearing in the collection are commissioned by the Centre for European Legal Studies (CELS) Cambridge, which is the research Centre of Cambridge University Law Faculty specialising in European legal issues. The papers presented are all at the cutting edge of the fields which they address, and reflect the views of recognised experts drawn from the University world, legal practice, and the civil services of both the EU and its Member States. Inclusion of the comparative dimension brings a fresh perspective to the study of European law, and highlights the effects of globalisation of the law more generally, and the resulting cross fertilisation of norms and ideas that has occurred among previously sovereign and separate legal orders. The Cambridge Yearbook of European Legal Studies is an invaluable resource for those wishing to keep pace with legal developments in the fast moving world of European integration. INDIVIDUAL CHAPTERS Please click on the link below to purchase individual chapters from Volume 2 through Ingenta Connect: www.ingentaconnect.com SUBSCRIPTION TO SERIES To place an annual online subscription or a print standing order through Hart Publishing please click on the link below. Please note that any customers who have a standing order for the printed volumes will now be entitled to free online access. www.hartjournals.co.uk/cyels/subs Editorial Board: Philip Allott, Tony Arnull, Catherine Barnard, Alan Dashwood, Dan Goyder CBE, Rosa Greaves, Bob Hepple, David O'Keefe, Lord Lester of Herne Hill QC, David Vaughan QC, Angela Ward, David Williams Q.C., D.A.Wyatt Q.C. Founding Editors: Alan Dashwood and Angela Ward

This discussion of the Cross-Border Merger Directive and its implementing legislation in each Member State of the European Union and the European Economic Area provides companies and their advisors with useful insight into the legal framework applicable to, and the tax treatment of, cross-border mergers throughout the European Economic Area. Analysis of the Community rules laid down in the Cross-Border Merger Directive and the Community rules on the tax treatment of cross-border mergers is complemented by chapters on the implementing legislation in each Member State, prepared in accordance with a common format and contributed by a practitioner from each state. Annexes contain the Cross-Border Merger Directive (Annex I), the Parent-Subsidiary Directive (Annex II) and a list of the implementing legislation in each Member State (Annex III).