Rights of minority shareholders

The protection (and the rights) of shareholders is always an important topic of any corporation law. It becomes a "hot" issue, when it comes to minority shareholders: Such protection justifies their position as members of a company, prevents abuses, and makes of the investment a reasonable proposition. The protection of minority shareholders ultimately protects the company and the economic system, as whole. On the other hand, it can throw roadblocks to the initiatives of the majority and the management, give arms to the enemies of the company or cause a civil war. In a world of globalized economy it was essential to make a comparative assessment of the situation in this delicate area and see what is being done now, and if improvements are needed. This was the purpose of the reports presented at the XVI Congress of Comparative Law held in July 2002 at Brisbane (Australia).