1. ECRF / CRF Survey of 2009 Annika Bränström Swedish Companies Registration Office

2. Goal Gather and compare annually data on: –Company registration practices –New registrations, total registrations and business terminations

3. Survey questions About your organization The company registration process Business terminations Annual accounts Online services Companies in the EU Share capital Cross border transfer of registered office and Cross border mergers (new for 2009) Registration data

5. ECRF participants of 2009 (29 registrars of 33) (* trend available for 17) Liechtenstein* Lithuania* Luxembourg* Netherlands* Norway* Romania* Sweden* Switzerland* United Kingdom* Belgium (partly) Croatia Czech Republic Guernsey Hungary Latvia Georgia Germany Serbia Slovenia Spain (association) Spain (central) Austria* Denmark* Estonia* Finland* France* Ireland* Italy* Jersey*

6. CRF participants of 2009 (12 registrars of 22) (* trend available for 7) Australia* Canada* Hong Kong* New Zealand* Pakistan* Singapore* South Africa* Cook Islands Mauritius Rwanda Sri Lanka United Arab Emirates

7. Survey purpose Basic statistics on registries and trends Follow trends since 2005 Basic report, limited analyses Base for benchmarking between registries –Compare registries –Find improvement areas –Learn how to improve

8. Companies on file 2009 6,1 m2,8 m4,6 m The largest registers Italy France United Kingdom Singapore 260 th. 780 th. 1,7 m Hong Kong Australia Germany 3,4 m New Zealand 530 th.

9. Companies on file 2009 The smallest registers 19 th. 64 th. 108 th. 51 th. 880 26 th. GuernseyLiechtensteinLuxembourgJersey Cook Island South Africa Canada 1460 Pakistan 54 th.

10. Differences in receiving annual accounts

11. What percentage files their annual accounts on time? ECRF(n=23)CRF(n=9) count% % Figures not available 313325 10 to 49% 2900 50 to 69% 2918 70 to 79% 730542 80 to 89% 41718 90 to 95% 522217 96% to 100% 0000

12. What are the most frequent changes in your companies register? ECRF Rank 1 (%) Rank 2 (%) Rank 3 (%) Order Change of particulars for Director or Secretary464141 Change of address of registered office2523442 Bringing in the annual account211443 Change of business/company name418264 Increase/Decrease in capital45175 Change of accounting reference date0046 Missing value (n)5 (17%)7 (24%)6 (21%)

13. What are the most frequent changes in your companies register? CRF Rank 1 (%) Rank 2 (%) Rank 3 (%) Order Change of particulars for Director or Secretary673301 Change of address of registered office3344112 Change of business/company name022333 Bringing in the annual account00224 Increase/Decrease in capital00224 Change of accounting reference date00116 Missing value (n)3 (25%)

14. What fees and charges do you collect ? ECRFCRF count% % Information fees2483759 Some services are free of charge2483867 Company formation fees22761192 Application fees for changes22761083 Other fees1345758 Fees for reg. of annual accounts1138650 Annual fees to keep a company on the register621650 Some services are free of charge2483867

15. Processing time for formation/incorporation ECRFCRF MaxmedianMaxmedian goal in workdays7111 average number of workdays252,451 minimum number of workdays3,72131 maximum number of workdays755143

19. Processing times for changes ECRFCRF maxmedianmaxmedian goal in workdays 7121 average number of workdays 10361 minimum number of workdays 3141 maximum number of workdays 445103

22. Differences in most popular means of communication

23. Difference in communication between centralized-decentralized

24. Share capital required 2009 (private limited companies) Required capital for private limited capital: =< 1 GBP/EURO France United kingdom Ireland Jersey Guernsey Rwanda United Arab Emirates Australia Germany

25. Share capital required 2009 (private limited companies) Liechtenstein Austria Netherlands 35 000 20 000 18 000 Highest minumum required capital for private limited capital South Africa 86

26. How do you examine the company/business names Company nameBusiness name ECRF (n=27)CRF(n=12)ECRF (n=14)CRF (n=3) count% % % % formally 207475896400 legally 24891192964267 against national trademark DB 7262172143100 against ALICANTE trademark DB 311**17** against companies register 24891192964267 don't examine at all 1418214133 * not available for CRF members

28. Q23_1 How long does it take for your organization to process an application for company formation/incorporation in workdays (see question no. 25) ? – Average Number of name examination proceduresMeanMedian 144 245 332 422 516

29. What payment methods do you accept ECRFCRF Count%count% Cash20691083 Online payments1655867 Major credit/debit cards1655650 Bank draft/checks13451083 Invoice134518 Money orders931217 Deposit accounts931650 Postal/money orders931325 Directly to debit31018

31. decide onregister ECRFCRFECRFCRF count% % % % Bankruptcy 2700217218 Wind up/ Liquidation 103432524831083 Merger 9315422483758 Strike off 15529752276758 Do you register / decide on the following types of business termination

32. ECRF (n=21)CRF (n=10) count% % By mail (hard copy)1571550 Electr. (other format)1362550 Electr. (XBRL)943110 By e-mail (pdf, word format, etc.)419110 By fax (paper copy)1500 At the registry office (hard copy)1152880 How do you accept annual accounts

35. Are the annual accounts available to the public? ECRF(n=21)CRF(n=9) count% % Yes, electronically and paper 2095667 Yes, electronically, for a fee (15)(71)(4)(57) Yes, but only in paper 15333

36. ECRF(n=21)CRF (n=10) count% % Yes1571550 No629550 Do you charge penalty fees for the late filing of annual accounts (excluding non- respondents)

47. How many companies left? 1-1011-5050+ ECRF1141 CRF---

48. How many companies entered? 1-1011-5050+ ECRF1230 CRF---

49. World class ECRF ? 1.Complete online registration 2.Accepts online payments 3.Percent electronically submitted documents Italy Norway Hungary

50. World class CRF ? 1.Complete online registration 2.Accepts online payments 3.Percent electronically submitted documents SingaporeMauritius

51. BEST