How to distinguish a Limited Liability Company and Joint Stock Company?

How to distinguish a Limited Liability Company and Joint Stock Company?”

Vietnam Law allows the establishment company in Vietnam in various forms. It is an important step in investment process.

Investors could choose different forms depending on the needs and capacity on the ability to raise capital and sharing the risk in business as well as the management and operating costs. Each form will have its own organizational structure, operating mechanism, rights and obligations specified under Law on Enterprise 2014.

Currently, Limited Liability Company (“LTD”) and Joint Stock Company (“JSC”) are two popular enterprise forms operating in Vietnam.

What is the difference between these two forms of companies?

I. Organizational Structure

Number of members/shareholders:

LTD

-Single member LTD: Having only one member (member can be an organization or an individual);

-Multi members LTD: Having at least 2 members and not exceed 50 members (member can be an organization or an individual).

JSC

Joint Stock Company has at least 3 shareholders and not limit the maximum number.

Management structure

LTD

-Single member LTD

Single member LTD owner by an organization shall be organized under two models: Company president, Director/General director and Supervisor; (OR) Members Council, Director/General director and Supervisor.

Single member LTD owner by an individual shall be organized as follows: Company president, Director/General director.

-Multi members LTD

Multi members shall be organized by: LTD Council members, Chairman of the Members Council and Director/General director;

Multi members LTD having 11 members or more shall establish the Board of Supervisors.

JSC

JSC can be organized under two models: General Meeting of Shareholders, Board of Directors, Board of Supervisors and Director/General director; (OR) General Meeting of Shareholders, Board of Directors (Board of Internal Supervisors under Board of Directors) and Director/General director.

II. Capital Contribution

Raising capital

LTD

-Single member LTD: Owner increases charter capital

-Multi members LTD: Members increase their charter capital, or increasing the number of capital contributors

JSC

Different from LTD, JSC can raise its capital by various methods as follows: Selling shares to existing shareholders; Selling shares individually to non-shareholders; Issuing shares on the stock market.

Transfer of contributed capital

LTD

-Single member LTD: Owner transfers a part of contributed capital to other persons and this could lead to changes of the type of business or other procedures if all capital is transferred (for instance in a M&A deal).

-Multi members LTD: Offer the stakes to other members in proportion to their stakes in the company under the same conditions; The stakes could only be transferred to other persons if the members do not buy or do not buy completely within 30 days from the offering date.

JSC

The shareholders of JSC are free for transfer their contributed capital after 03 years from the establishment.

Having said that, LTD is a type of enterprise that the capital contribution is not the only link between the members of the company but they are also linked together by relationship. They may be acquaintances and trust each other to jointly contribute capital to establish an enterprise. Therefore, the management of the LTD is as complicated as JSC. With the larger the number of shareholders, the level of capital mobilization, voting power to decide on issues of the company based on the ratio of capital contribution of each shareholder, the management and operation of the JSC is more complex.

The ability to raise capital of a JSC is higher than a LTD. Because, JSC can issue shares to the public in the form of securities. When the stocks are listed on stock exchange, the information of company’s business operations must be public and more transparent.

The procedure to set up a company in form of an LTD or a JSC has not much differences.

We help clients overcome cultural barriers and achieve their strategic and financial outcomes, while ensuring the best interest rate protection, risk mitigation and regulatory compliance. ANT lawyers have Attorneys in Hanoi, Attorneys in Ho Chi Minh and Attorneys in Danang.

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Whats New in the Draft of the Decree on Amending the Decree 52 on E-Commerce?

The Decree No.52/2013/ND-CP (Decree 52) on e-commerce will be effective from July 1st, 2013. However, this Decree does not have specific regulations on e-commerce activities for foreign investors conducting e-commerce activities in Vietnam Therefore, the draft of the Decree amending Decree 52 shall fill the missing gap for foreign investors with particulars in conducting e-commerce activities in Vietnam.

The draft decree has supplemented regulations on management of e-commerce activities for foreign investors setting up business in Vietnam. Specifically, the draft decree (i) adds specific regulations on foreign traders and organizations conducting e-commerce activities in Vietnam; (ii) supplements market access conditions for foreign investors in accordance with the Law on Investment; and (iii) provides the exclusion of foreign investors investing in economic organizations that are innovative and creative enterprises in order to promote innovation activities in accordance with the law on support small and medium enterprises.

In particular, the draft decree also provides plans for e-commerce activities of foreign investors in Vietnam. According to the draft decree, foreign investors can set up an e-commerce website under the Vietnamese domain name or an e-commerce website with the display language in Vietnamese. The option of setting up an e-commerce exchange floor with a specified number of transactions from Vietnam in a year is also considered for selection.

In addition, foreign investors setting up e-commerce websites in Vietnam must notify and register e-commerce activities according to regulations. At the same time, they need to ensure the fulfillment of obligations on protection the interests of consumers. The quality of the goods need to be protected by their representative office, designation of a legal representative in Vietnam.

Foreign investors selling goods on Vietnamese e-commerce exchanges must comply with the operating regulations of e-commerce exchanges in Vietnam. When providing Vietnam e-commerce exchanges, foreign investors are responsible for verifying their identities. In addition, foreign investors conducting e-commerce activities are responsible for complying with the provisions of Vietnamese law on the right to export and import goods in accordance with the laws.

The draft decree also specifies that e-commerce service is a conditional market access industry for foreign investors. Market access conditions will also be considered accordingly. In addition, the control and domination of enterprises providing e-commerce services are also clearly regulated.

In the coming time, Vietnam will continue to receive comments to supplement and complete the draft of decree amending Decree 52 on e-commerce activities. It is important to create a clear and appropriate e-commerce operating environment to attract foreign investors with experience and capability to invest, set up company and operate in Vietnam in the area of e-commerce to facilitate goods transaction, protect intellectual property, reduce cost. However, it is also equally important to ensure the management of investment activities of foreign investors in the field of e-commerce in Vietnam.

We help clients overcome cultural barriers and achieve their strategic and financial outcomes, while ensuring the best interest rate protection, risk mitigation and regulatory compliance. ANT lawyers have Attorneys in Hanoi, Attorneys in Ho Chi Minh and Attorneys in Danang.

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Why Investors Should Set up Business in Phu Quoc?

The improvement in infrastructure system along with the preferential policies have stimulated investors to come to set up business in Phu Quoc and do company.

Phu Quoc, an island in Kien Giang of Vietnam is in the top of three islands having tourism potential in Southeast Asia comparable to Phuket in Thailand and Bali in Indonesia. Phu Quoc has become a magnet for attracting huge investment flows from foreign investors in the area of real estate, entertainment, casinos, restaurant or food and beverage service business.

Phu Quoc has temperate weather throughout the year. There are also fresh and friendly forest – sea ecology and the modern transport system on the island with international airport and international hospital. Moreover, many infrastructure projects and international schools are under construction, which are necessary and favorable conditions to invite and attract investors to the Pearl Island for doing business.

Capital inflows to Phu Quoc have really exploded after the “knots” in investment were removed. The new airport went into operation that can welcome larger aircraft and serve more flights, in which there are more international direct flights from China, Singapore, Russia and Cambodia. The 51km long radial route on the island has been basically completed; the road around the island and the branch roads are also being deployed. The power grid was pulled from the mainland to the island, replacing the very high cost gasoline power in the past.

The real estate and tourism consultants all agree that Phu Quoc fully convergent elements of an attractive beach for tourist with year-round sunshine, many beautiful beaches such as Long Beach, Truong Beach, Khem Beach and immense virgin forest. Moreover, Phu Quoc has a strategic location with just 1-2 hours flight to the key tourism markets in Southeast Asia.

Both investment and tourism in Phu Quoc have entered the acceleration phase. By the end of July 2015, Phu Quoc has attracted nearly 200 investment projects, including 136 projects that are being implemented in the area of over 5,100 ha with total registered capitals of 6.5 billion USD. Just one part of those projects become reality then it will make Phu Quoc to become a leading tourist destination in Vietnam, ahead of Da Nang and Nha Trang, competing with the top destinations in the area as Phuket and Bali.

Some of the largest Vietnam corporations such as Vingroup, Sun Group, CEO Group, BIM Group are implementing the huge projects that could alter the appearance of the island. In which the giant in real estate sector – Vingroup has invested projects as: Vinpearl Resort on an area of 300 ha in Long Beach, the combining of golf course and safari zoo on an area of more than 2,000 ha, and the 80 ha commercial complex.

The improvement in infrastructure system along with the preferential business and legal environments i.e. favourable land rental rates, corporate income tax, exemption of visa for foreign tourists make Phu Quoc island of Kien Giang, Vietnam a new attractive place for investment.

ANT Lawyers, a law firm in Vietnam could offer service to set-up company in Phu Quoc through its affiliate office. We assist clients needing legal service in obtaining investment certificate, business registration, or other licensing procedures in Phu Quoc, Kien Giang Province, Vietnam.

We help clients overcome cultural barriers and achieve their strategic and financial outcomes, while ensuring the best interest rate protection, risk mitigation and regulatory compliance. ANT lawyers have Law firm in Hanoi, Law firm in Ho Chi Minh City and Law firm in Danang.

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