102. Переведите вопросы на русский язык и ответьте на них:

1. What problems are most businesses facing?

2. Has England developed a comprehensive code of company law?

3. What is a limited company (corporation)?

4. What is meant by “limited liability”?

5. How can a company raise its capital?

6. Where are the shares of a company listed?

7. What is a dividend and when is it payed out?

8. What does the voting right of a shareholder depend on?

9. Who has the right to remove the directors of a company?

10. How can shares of a company be acquired?

11. What is the value of a share?

12. Переведите текст урока на русский язык.

13. Перескажите текст урока на английском языке.

14. Составьте письменную аннотацию текста.

Законодательство о компаниях

Специфическую сферу английского права представляет собой законодательство о компаниях, играющих важнейшую роль в экономике страны (в Великобритании ныне преобладают компа­нии с ограниченной ответственностью). На протяжении столетий это законодательство подверглось неоднократным преобразованиям, особенно с середины XIX века, когда был принят закон об акционерных компаниях 1844 года и ряд других актов. Ныне централь­ное место в этой сфере правового регулирования занимает закон о компаниях 1985 года, снабженный подзаголовком “закон, предназ­наченный для консолидации большей части законов о компаниях”. В этом обширном акте подробнейшим образом регламентируются вопросы учреждения и регистрации компаний, их слияния и раз­деления и вместе с тем устанавливаются правовые рамки осущест­вления ими предпринимательской деятельности. В законе определяется юридический статус компаний различного вида, правила распре­деления паев и облигаций, полномочия правления и должностных лиц компаний, порядок осуществления контроля за их деятельностью

и, наконец, способы ликвидации компаний.

Значительную роль в регулировании торговых и финансовых отношений играют принятый в прошлом веке закон о векселях 1881 года и относительно новый закон о потребительском кредите 1974 года, разрешающий многие вопросы кредитования, продажи товаров в рассрочку и пр. и одновременно направленный на известную защиту прав потребителей.

Переведите текст с русского языка на английский с листа.

Lesson 19

Company Law

Organization of Business (continued)

Another way for a company to raise capital is by issuing debentures, or bonds, in return ofloans. Debenture holders are entitled to an annual payment of interest, and this is not linked to the company’s profits and losses. In general, they have the right to sell their debentures back to the company (that is, call in their loan), or sell them on to someone else. If possible, the lender will make sure his loan is secured by a charge over a company asset, so that he will have the right to take the company property should there be no money to repay him.

A limited liability company is not the only way to run a business. A single person may operate as a sole trader, and even if he employs many people, he alone is responsible for management and, thus, for any debts. Another way to run a business is for two or more people to form a partnership in which they sh^re management, profits, and liability to debts. The share is not necessarily an equal one, but depends upon the partnership agreement among them. This usually reflects the amount of capital each partner has invested in the business. Partnerships can be formed very easily and the legal position of partners is not very different from that of sole traders. Unlike members of a company, partners may find their personal property is at risk if they are sued by the creditors. It is also possible to form an unlimited company. Since member’s liability is unlimited, this is, in effect, similar to a partnership.

If the advantage of forming a company is that it offers its members some protection in case of bankruptcy, the disadvantage is that there are many regulations to observe in setting it up and running it. Under English law, there must be a minimum of two people, and they must sign a document called a memorandum of association, which must be filed with the national registrar of companies. The memorandum contains the name of the company, its objects, whether it is limited by shares or guarantee, and the amount of share capital. There are some restrictions on the choice of name: for example, the registrar will not accept a name that is the same or very similar to a company already registered, since this could confuse consumers and clients.

The objects clause of the memorandum is very important because a company may not engage in activity beyond its registered objects. Such activity is said to be ultra vires — outside its capacity. It used to be the case that both the company and its clients lost the right to remedies for breach of contract over an ultra vires transaction. The purpose of the doctrine was to stop company assets from being used for unauthorized activities. However, partly because of pressure to conform to European Community law, it is now possible for someone contracting with the company on ultra vires matters to be protected, provided the matter was authorized by the company’s directors. In any case, companies usually draft very wide objects clauses to include any activities that the business is likely to be engaged in now or in the future.

As well as the memorandum, there are several other documents a new company has to register. When this has been done it receives a number and a certificate of incorporation and is ready to do business (unless it is a public limited company, in which case it must first obtain a trading certificate).

?

Active Words and Expressions

д debenture=bond — облигация акционерной компании ^ to be entitled to an annual payment of jiiterest — иметь право на ежегодную выплату процентов to call in the loan — требовать погашения ссуды i lender — кредитор; ссудодатель ^loan — заем; ссуда; кредит to secure a loan by a charge over the company^assets — предоставить обеспечение по ссуде долговым обязательством под фонд компании

should there be no money to repay him — если не будет денег для выплаты

К to run/conduct/handle a business — вести дело X sole trader — единоличный торговец partnership — товарищество; компания (to make a partnership — создать товарищество/компанию) unlimited company — компания с неограниченной ответстве н н остью

to sign a document — подписывать документ

memorandum of association — заявка на регистрацию акционерного

общества

to file smth with — подавать/представлять в ...

national registrar of companies.— национальное регистрационное

бюро компаний

share capital — акционерный капитал ultra vires=outside capacity — вне компетенции ) ^to object clauses^— формулировать очень широкие

цели учреждаемого общества

certificate of incorporation — разрешение на создание корпорации

103. What are the ways in which a company can raise its capital?

104. Who is entitled to the annual payment of interest?

105. How can a loan be secured?

106. What ways of running a business do you know?

107. Can a person operate as a sole trader?

108. What is a partnership?

109. What is the difference between an unlimited company and a

partnership?

110. What are advantages and disadvantages of forming a company?

111. Who can sign the memorandum of association and what information does it contain?

112. What are the restrictions on the choice of the company name?

113. Why do the companies usually draft very wide objects clauses?

114. What documents are required for a company to be registered?

//. Переведите текст урока на русский язык.