Page 137 - Albanian law on entrepreuners and companies - text with with commentary
P. 137

this  time.  This  was  a  difficulty  if  the  contribution  was  in  kind  where  there  were  some
            formalities to make sure that the contribution was properly valued, while other laws provide
            for  special  procedures  in  the  case  of  transfer  of  ownership,  especially  in  the  case  of
            immovable  property,  which  might  delay  the  process  of  incorporation  for  joint-stock
            companies. In addition, under special procedures of transfer of ownership, especially in the
            case  of  immovable  property,  prior  registration of  the  company  in  the  NBC  is  required.  In
            order  to  further  simplify  the  process  of  registration  for  joint-stock  companies  with  equity
            comprised of contributions in kind, it was deemed reasonable to clarify that the obligation of a
            shareholder to transfer the contribution in kind will  be deemed  as complied with once the
            shareholder  has  signed  any  acts  required  for  transferring  the  ownership  title  to  the
            contribution in kind; and after the registration of the company, the rest of legal procedures
            (e.g.  the  registration  of  the  ownership  transfer  with  the  Immovable  Property  Registration
            Office) are followed by the Managing Director.
                 In case founders do not pay or transfer their contributions in time, the company may
            choose to subject the founder to the procedure of Article 124 on untimely payments. Founders
            are liable  for any damage to the company resulting from untimely payment  in accordance
            with Article 10, Article 113 (3). The provision of Article 124 is not located among the rules
            regarding formation as it is also applicable to payments required from (future) shareholders
            when the company already exists.
                 As  well  as  this  shares  may  not  be  issued  before  registration  of  the  company,  as
            registration is only possible if contributions have been paid up according to Law and Statute,
            Article 109 (2).

            2.   Formation costs are only refundable to founders up to an amount established  by the
            Statute, Article 111 (1). Such costs can be both compensation of expenses and remunerations
            connected  to  the  foundation.  Expenses  are  payment  of  contributions,  taxes,  fees,  share
            certificates  where  they  are  produced,  Article  118  (3).  The  remuneration  regards  either  the
            founders or other persons employed during the formation for expertise and consultancy. By
            establishing and disclosing the formation amount in the Statute, the Law tries to avoid the
            situation where founders (or others) use the foundation for their private benefit and to the
            disadvantage  of  shareholders  and  creditors.  Such  formation  costs  will  be  paid  by  the  new
            company which could find itself immediately with a burden of (formation) debts. Therefore,
            Article 111 (2) requires that the formation costs will only be paid once the company succeeds
            in producing profits. Shareholders may then decide to give it priority.
                 It should be noted in this context that Article 36 (1) g) Business Registration Law still
            refers  to  a  concept  of  ‘special  advantages’.  The  Business  Registration  Law  should  be
            amended  in  this  respect  and  this  letter  be  cancelled  from  the  list  of  statute  /  registration
            requirements because the Company  Law does not allow any ‘special advantages’ during the
            formation phase which would require to be listed in the Statute in order to be compensated.
            The idea of ‘special advantages’ does not comply with the new corporate governance spirit



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