Limits of shareholders' agreements - Resumé This diploma thesis deals with the limits of shareholders' agreements. Its goal is not only to introduce the legal concept of the shareholders' agreements themselves, with regard to their content, forms or types, but above all to point out the limits which restrict their validity. The shareholders' agreements as an obligatory legal institute have their limits, which must be respected by the parties to the agreements. This thesis focuses primarily on the contractual autonomy of the parties to the agreement, together with other limits resulting from the stock law such as the prohibition of disadvantage shareholders, limitation of types of stocks or possible establishment of an internal shareholder's company. This diploma thesis also describes the key institute that stands side by side the shareholders' agreements - the articles of incorporation. Since the parties to the shareholders' agreements can be and most often are the shareholders themselves, I focus on the relationship between the agreements and a certain loyalty of shareholders to the joint stock company. This analysis is completed with even more intense duty of loyalty in case the party to the agreement is a shareholder and on top of that simultaneously a member of the statutory body. This diploma thesis...

The thesis analyses shareholders' agreements in limited liability and joint stock companies. In a broader sense, both the agreements concluded by shareholders outside the articles of association or bylaws and the provisions of the constitutional documents which are not attached to shares but only bind the individual shareholders can be classified as shareholders' agreements. The thesis consists of a general and a special part. The objective of the general part is to describe the legal nature, effects, usual content and practical use of shareholders' agreements. Particularly, I intend to detail the main legal issues surrounding shareholders' agreements included in the constitutional documents and to suggest the methods of coping with these problems in the legal practice. Further, I will describe the corporate advantages of the shareholders' agreements as separate legal documents as well as their limits. The objective of the specific part of this thesis is to characterize the selected types of shareholders' agreements in terms of their practical use and legal regulation. I put special emphasis on different kinds of shareholders' voting agreements.

A presente tese tem por objeto o estudo da disciplina normativa e dos pressupostos teóricos do controle conjunto nas companhias brasileiras, conduzido a partir da diferenciação dos conceitos de controle conjunto e controle compartilhado, de grupo de controle e bloco de controle, e pela análise comparativa entre o poder de controle do tipo individual e o poder de controle do tipo conjunto nas sociedades anônimas. A figura do grupo controlador é examinada, ao longo do trabalho, a partir da contraposição entre suas perspectivas interna e externa, como ângulos analíticos sobre os quais é erigida grande parte das conclusões, assentadas na noção de titularidade unitária do controle. O estudo é motivado pela identificação de uma falha na Lei nº 6.404/76, a qual, apesar de referir o controle em sua forma plurissubjetiva, foi construída sobre a figura do controlador individual e, por isso, necessita ser adaptada. Tendo isso presente, o exame da disciplina do controle conjunto parte da diferenciação entre a hipótese de controle conjunto por grupo de pessoas vinculadas por acordo de voto e a de controle conjunto por grupo de pessoas sob controle comum, tal qual definido pelo artigo 116 da Lei nº 6.404/76, com especial destaque para a primeira, por sua maior complexidade. Feita a análise dos aspectos legais do controle conjunto, identificam-se os seus pressupostos teóricos, a saber, a titularidade unitária do controle, a pluralidade subjetiva, a comunhão de objetivos e a conjugação de interesses, e a coordenação decisória consensual. A partir desses pressupostos são elaboradas as regras para imputação do status de acionista controlador e da titularidade do poder de controle nos casos de controle conjunto. Em seguida, são apresentadas orientações interpretativas para adaptação de algumas regras societárias ao controle conjunto, pela aplicação da tese aos casos de conflito de interesses, de responsabilidade do controlador e de alienação de controle. Ao final, identificados os aspectos dogmáticos do controle conjunto, o objetivo é fornecer as diretrizes para distinguir os casos de controle conjunto daqueles que não o são e, assim, orientar a interpretação e a aplicação das regras relativas ao poder de controle e ao acionista controlador para os casos em que for devidamente identificada essa fattispecie de poder de controle nas sociedades anônimas brasileiras. / This doctoral thesis adresses the legal aspects and theorethical premises of joint corporate control in Brazilian corporations, and builds upon the distinctions between joint corporate control and shared corporate control, controlling group and controlling block, and the comparative analysis between individual corporate control, on the one hand, and joint corporate control, on the other. The control group is examined in light of the contrast between its internal and external perspectives, analytical angles from which a large part of the conclusions stem, based on the idea of corporate control as a unified power. The thesis is motivated by the identification of a failure in Law n. 6.404/76 (Brazilian Corporations Act), which, although expressly referring to the hypothesis of joint control, was built entirely upon the notion of individual control, and therefore needs to be adapted. Taking this into account, the legal regime of joint control considers two distinct hypotheses: the group of persons bound by voting agreements and the group of persons under common control, as defined by Article 116 of Law n. 6.404/76, with particular emphasis on the first, due to its complexity. Analysed the legal aspects of joint control, the thesis then identifies its theoretical premises: the unified nature of corporate control, the plurality of persons who are in control, the common objectives and conjunction of interests between them, and the decision-making coordination. From these premises, the thesis elaborates criteria to attribute controlling shareholder status and corporate control in joint control cases. Then, the thesis proposes interpretative guidelines to adapt certain rules of corporate law to deal with joint control, applying these guidelines to cases of conflict of interests, controlling shareholders responsibility and transfer of joint corporate control. Finally, having identified the doctrinal earmarks of joint control, the thesis aims to provide criteria to distinguish joint control from other types of corporate control, and to guide legal interpretation of the rules relating to corporate control and controlling shareholders in those cases where joint corporate control is identified.

A presente tese tem por objeto o estudo da disciplina normativa e dos pressupostos teóricos do controle conjunto nas companhias brasileiras, conduzido a partir da diferenciação dos conceitos de controle conjunto e controle compartilhado, de grupo de controle e bloco de controle, e pela análise comparativa entre o poder de controle do tipo individual e o poder de controle do tipo conjunto nas sociedades anônimas. A figura do grupo controlador é examinada, ao longo do trabalho, a partir da contraposição entre suas perspectivas interna e externa, como ângulos analíticos sobre os quais é erigida grande parte das conclusões, assentadas na noção de titularidade unitária do controle. O estudo é motivado pela identificação de uma falha na Lei nº 6.404/76, a qual, apesar de referir o controle em sua forma plurissubjetiva, foi construída sobre a figura do controlador individual e, por isso, necessita ser adaptada. Tendo isso presente, o exame da disciplina do controle conjunto parte da diferenciação entre a hipótese de controle conjunto por grupo de pessoas vinculadas por acordo de voto e a de controle conjunto por grupo de pessoas sob controle comum, tal qual definido pelo artigo 116 da Lei nº 6.404/76, com especial destaque para a primeira, por sua maior complexidade. Feita a análise dos aspectos legais do controle conjunto, identificam-se os seus pressupostos teóricos, a saber, a titularidade unitária do controle, a pluralidade subjetiva, a comunhão de objetivos e a conjugação de interesses, e a coordenação decisória consensual. A partir desses pressupostos são elaboradas as regras para imputação do status de acionista controlador e da titularidade do poder de controle nos casos de controle conjunto. Em seguida, são apresentadas orientações interpretativas para adaptação de algumas regras societárias ao controle conjunto, pela aplicação da tese aos casos de conflito de interesses, de responsabilidade do controlador e de alienação de controle. Ao final, identificados os aspectos dogmáticos do controle conjunto, o objetivo é fornecer as diretrizes para distinguir os casos de controle conjunto daqueles que não o são e, assim, orientar a interpretação e a aplicação das regras relativas ao poder de controle e ao acionista controlador para os casos em que for devidamente identificada essa fattispecie de poder de controle nas sociedades anônimas brasileiras. / This doctoral thesis adresses the legal aspects and theorethical premises of joint corporate control in Brazilian corporations, and builds upon the distinctions between joint corporate control and shared corporate control, controlling group and controlling block, and the comparative analysis between individual corporate control, on the one hand, and joint corporate control, on the other. The control group is examined in light of the contrast between its internal and external perspectives, analytical angles from which a large part of the conclusions stem, based on the idea of corporate control as a unified power. The thesis is motivated by the identification of a failure in Law n. 6.404/76 (Brazilian Corporations Act), which, although expressly referring to the hypothesis of joint control, was built entirely upon the notion of individual control, and therefore needs to be adapted. Taking this into account, the legal regime of joint control considers two distinct hypotheses: the group of persons bound by voting agreements and the group of persons under common control, as defined by Article 116 of Law n. 6.404/76, with particular emphasis on the first, due to its complexity. Analysed the legal aspects of joint control, the thesis then identifies its theoretical premises: the unified nature of corporate control, the plurality of persons who are in control, the common objectives and conjunction of interests between them, and the decision-making coordination. From these premises, the thesis elaborates criteria to attribute controlling shareholder status and corporate control in joint control cases. Then, the thesis proposes interpretative guidelines to adapt certain rules of corporate law to deal with joint control, applying these guidelines to cases of conflict of interests, controlling shareholders responsibility and transfer of joint corporate control. Finally, having identified the doctrinal earmarks of joint control, the thesis aims to provide criteria to distinguish joint control from other types of corporate control, and to guide legal interpretation of the rules relating to corporate control and controlling shareholders in those cases where joint corporate control is identified.

La tesi ha per oggetto lo studio del fenomeno dei patti parasociali occulti nell’ambito di s.p.a. aperte al mercato del capitale di rischio e quotate. La prima parte del lavoro si concentra sulle norme dell’ordinamento italiano che prevedono obblighi di trasparenza degli accordi tra azionisti, senza trascurare gli altri principali sistemi europei e quello statunitense. Il secondo capitolo sviluppa l’analisi dei diversi profili in relazione ai quali il fenomeno del patto parasociale occulto reagisce ed influisce sull’interpretazione e sull’applicazione della disciplina dell’opa obbligatoria da concerto. Inoltre, si fornisce un’illustrazione delle modalità attraverso le quali dovrebbe essere possibile pervenire alla prova dell’esistenza di siffatti accordi. Nell’ultimo capitolo si prende in esame la responsabilità degli azionisti per la violazione del dovere di disclosure e, soprattutto, per la mancata promozione dell’opa obbligatoria da patto occulto. Si argomenta nel senso che tale condotta possa integrare altresì un’ipotesi di insider trading (o, eventualmente, di manipolazione del mercato) e si procede ad una ricostruzione del danno risarcibile e del relativo nesso causale, traendo spunto, in particolare, dai risultati emersi nell’esperienza statunitense. / The thesis concerns the shareholders’ agreements - within a corporation - that are kept secret, breaching a legally imposed duty of disclosure. The first part of the analysis focuses on the rules that contain such a duty of disclosure, mainly as regards the Italian regulation but also through a consideration of other legal systems. The second chapter develops the study by showing how the not-disclosed shareholders’ agreements could vary the way in which the regulation of the mandatory bid should be interpreted and applied. Moreover, an illustration about the possible ways to get the evidence of the existence of these agreements is provided. In the final chapter, the liability of the shareholders - mainly based on the breach of the duty to promote a mandatory bid - is taken into consideration, especially through a comparison with the American legal system as for the damages caused by an insider trading conduct and the causal connection: it is argued, in fact, that the violation of the rules regarding both the disclosure of the agreements and the mandatory bid should be also identified as a case of insider trading (or market manipulation).

The dissertation analyses legal aspects of shareholders’ agreements concluded in listed companies using theoretical model provided by agency theory. The author provides qualitative research which identifies the nature, qualifying characteristics of the shareholders’ agreement, as well as different aims of contracting shareholders. Voting agreements and transfer of voting right agreements constitute part of the academic analysis provided in the dissertation. Lithuanian regulation of shareholders’ agreements is compared with Belgian and the UK legal systems. An extensive empirical research is carried out regarding the shareholders’ agreements concluded in companies listed on stock exchanges of the selected jurisdictions. The author concludes that extensive and detailed statutory regulation of shareholders’ agreements is unnecessary. In order for shareholders’ agreements to be a feasible solution for dealing with agency problems, statutory acts have to provide that shareholders’ agreement is a valid contract which can be enforced by courts. Restrictions on the subject matter of the agreement are necessary only to limit possible abusive behaviour of contracting shareholders and expropriation of other corporate constituents. Empirical research has revealed that shareholders in jurisdictions with concentrated ownership structure, compared with jurisdictions where dispersed ownership structure prevails, conclude more shareholders’ agreements. Shareholders’ agreements are mainly used... [to full text] / Disertacijoje, remiantis ekonomikos mokslininkų suformuluota atstovavimo teorija, nagrinėjami akcininkų sutarčių, sudaromų biržinėse bendrovėse, teisiniai aspektai. Autorius pasitelkdamas kokybinio tyrimo metodus analizuoja akcininkų sutarties prigimtį, jos pagrindinius kvalifikuojančius bruožus, vertina pagrindinius susitariančių akcininkų tikslus. Disertacijoje taip pat pateikiamas balsavimo sutarties ir balsavimo teisės perleidimo sutarties mokslinis tyrimas. Lietuvos Respublikoje įtvirtintas teisinis akcininkų sutarčių reguliavimas yra lyginamas su Belgijos ir Jungtinės Karalystės teisinėmis sistemomis. Moksliniame darbe atliekamas išsamus akcininkų sutarčių, sudaromų pasirinktų jurisdikcijų vertybinių popierių biržose, empirinis tyrimas. Autorius daro išvadą, kad išsamus ir detalus akcininkų sutarties instituto reglamentavimas teisės aktuose nėra reikalingas. Tačiau siekiant, kad akcininkų sutartis taptų veiksmingu teisiniu instrumentu, įstatymų leidėjas turėtų pripažinti ją kaip teisėtą ir priverstinai vykdytiną teisinį sandorį. Akcininkų sutarties turinio ribojimai yra reikalingi tik tam, kad būtų išvengta akivaizdžių piktnaudžiavimo atvejų. Empiriniai tyrimai atskleidė, kad jurisdikcijose, kuriose vyrauja koncentruota nuosavybės struktūra, palyginti su jurisdikcijomis, kuriose bendrovių nuosavybės struktūra yra išskaidyta, akcininkų sutarčių skaičius yra ženkliai didesnis. Akcininkų sutartys daugiausia yra naudojamos kaip teisinė priemonė vidutinio dydžio akcininkams... [toliau žr. visą tekstą]

The dissertation analyses legal aspects of shareholders’ agreements concluded in listed companies using theoretical model provided by agency theory. The author provides qualitative research which identifies the nature, qualifying characteristics of the shareholders’ agreement, as well as different aims of contracting shareholders. Voting agreements and transfer of voting right agreements constitute part of the academic analysis provided in the dissertation. Lithuanian regulation of shareholders’ agreements is compared with Belgian and the UK legal systems. An extensive empirical research is carried out regarding the shareholders’ agreements concluded in companies listed on stock exchanges of the selected jurisdictions. The author concludes that extensive and detailed statutory regulation of shareholders’ agreements is unnecessary. In order for shareholders’ agreements to be a feasible solution for dealing with agency problems, statutory acts have to provide that shareholders’ agreement is a valid contract which can be enforced by courts. Restrictions on the subject matter of the agreement are necessary only to limit possible abusive behaviour of contracting shareholders and expropriation of other corporate constituents. Empirical research has revealed that shareholders in jurisdictions with concentrated ownership structure, compared with jurisdictions where dispersed ownership structure prevails, conclude more shareholders’ agreements. Shareholders’ agreements are mainly used... [to full text] / Disertacijoje, remiantis ekonomikos mokslininkų suformuluota atstovavimo teorija, nagrinėjami akcininkų sutarčių, sudaromų biržinėse bendrovėse, teisiniai aspektai. Autorius pasitelkdamas kokybinio tyrimo metodus analizuoja akcininkų sutarties prigimtį, jos pagrindinius kvalifikuojančius bruožus, vertina pagrindinius susitariančių akcininkų tikslus. Disertacijoje taip pat pateikiamas balsavimo sutarties ir balsavimo teisės perleidimo sutarties mokslinis tyrimas. Lietuvos Respublikoje įtvirtintas teisinis akcininkų sutarčių reguliavimas yra lyginamas su Belgijos ir Jungtinės Karalystės teisinėmis sistemomis. Moksliniame darbe atliekamas išsamus akcininkų sutarčių, sudaromų pasirinktų jurisdikcijų vertybinių popierių biržose, empirinis tyrimas. Autorius daro išvadą, kad išsamus ir detalus akcininkų sutarties instituto reglamentavimas teisės aktuose nėra reikalingas. Tačiau siekiant, kad akcininkų sutartis taptų veiksmingu teisiniu instrumentu, įstatymų leidėjas turėtų pripažinti ją kaip teisėtą ir priverstinai vykdytiną teisinį sandorį. Akcininkų sutarties turinio ribojimai yra reikalingi tik tam, kad būtų išvengta akivaizdžių piktnaudžiavimo atvejų. Empiriniai tyrimai atskleidė, kad jurisdikcijose, kuriose vyrauja koncentruota nuosavybės struktūra, palyginti su jurisdikcijomis, kuriose bendrovių nuosavybės struktūra yra išskaidyta, akcininkų sutarčių skaičius yra ženkliai didesnis. Akcininkų sutartys daugiausia yra naudojamos kaip teisinė priemonė vidutinio dydžio akcininkams... [toliau žr. visą tekstą]