Payment of (Extraordinary) Dividends: What if the Company Law Rules are Breached?

Abstract

This article on payment of dividends focuses on situations where the company law rules on this subject are breached. The reason for this is that, in practice, lawyers, auditors, and others dealing with company law sometimes encounter situations where a company has paid dividends to its shareholders, but the company law rules on payment of dividends are breached. This is especially true with regard to extraordinary dividends, which is why the article focuses on such dividends. However, situations do occur where a company has paid ordinary dividends to its shareholders, but the company law rules on payment of such dividends are breached. Drawing on the Consolidated Company Law Directive (CCLD), the article starts by discussing the requirements for paying dividends. Next, still drawing on CCLD, it discusses the consequences of paying dividends if these requirements are not met. Finally, it explores the differences between CCLD and the European Model Companies Act (EMCA) with regard to payment of dividends. The article points to a number of ways in which the CCLD provisions on payment of dividends could be improved. Such improvements are necessary in order to maintain the important balance between creditor and shareholder protection. Company Law, Consolidated Company Law Directive (CCLD), European Model Companies Act (EMCA), Dividends, Extraordinary Dividends, Interim Dividends.