From August 8, 2024, dividends will no longer be transferred to "lost" shareholders; from September 1, 2024, the decision to elect or appoint the director of an LLC must be certified by a notary; from March 1, 2025, it is necessary to comply with the established procedure for holding remote meetings of the general meeting of LLCs and JSCs.
In the field of corporate law, on August 8, 2024, a number of federal laws were adopted amendments to the Federal Law of 08.02.1998 N 14-FZ On Limited Liability Companies, the Federal Law of 26.12.1995 N 208-FZ On Joint-Stock Companies and several other legislative acts, according to which:
From August 8, 2024:
From September 1, 2024:
From March 1, 2025:
From September 1, 2027:
From August 8, 2024:
- the procedure for suspending the payment of dividends and sending messages about the general meeting to "lost" shareholders has been established. A JSC may suspend the payment of declared dividends, for example, if the dividends transferred were returned to the company for at least two consecutive years before the date of the decision to suspend;
From September 1, 2024:
- the decision to elect or appoint the director of an LLC, as well as the decision to appoint a liquidation commission or the appointment of a liquidator during the liquidation of a company must be certified by a notary (Federal Law of 08.08.2024 N 287-FZ). The notary also transfers documents for registration to the Federal Tax Service as part of a single notarial act on the day of notarial certification of the authenticity of the applicant’s signature on such an application.
- information on the arrest of a share or part thereof in an LLC (Federal Law of 08.08.2024 N 287-FZ), imposed by a court or a bailiff, will be posted in the Unified State Register of Legal Entities.
From March 1, 2025:
- the conditions for holding a general meeting of LLCs and JSCs with remote participation by electronic or other technical means have been established (Federal Law of 08.08.2024 N 287-FZ). In particular, when organizing such a meeting, it is necessary to provide for the possibility of the participants being present at the venue, unless otherwise provided in the charter. The meeting notice must include, among other things, information on the procedure for access to remote participation.
- the procedure for the work of the Board of Directors of LLCs has been determined (Federal Law of 08.08.2024 N 287-FZ). Decisions of the board of directors (supervisory board) may be made at a meeting (including with remote participation) or without holding a meeting (absentee voting). Voting at a meeting may also be combined with absentee voting. The quorum for making decisions is at least half of the board’s elected members unless a higher quorum is established in the charter. Following the meeting or absentee voting, it is necessary to draw up a protocol no later than three calendar days after the meeting date or the end of the acceptance of documents from board members in the case of absentee voting.
- the procedure for the board of directors of a JSC to make decisions is established (Federal Law of 08.08.2024 N 287-FZ). In particular, the possibility of remotely participating in a meeting of the board of directors, combining voting at the meeting with absentee voting is enshrined (unless otherwise specified in the charter or internal document of the JSC).
From September 1, 2027:
- when holding a general meeting with remote participation, participants of LLCs and JSCs will be identified using a qualified electronic signature (Federal Law of 08.08.2024 N 287-FZ). At the same time, other methods may be provided in the charter or other internal document adopted (approved) by the company’s general meeting: an enhanced unqualified electronic signature or authorization through the State Services Portal. Other features of holding a remote meeting of the company’s general meeting have also been determined.
