Overview: Cooperative`s (Coöperatie) main aim is to satisfy certain material needs of its members pursuant to their “membership rights”. The basic idea is that a Cooperative conducts activities for the benefit of the members. There are two types of Cooperative – business cooperatives and entrepreneurs` cooperatives.
A business cooperative supports the business interests of its members in certain areas, e.g. procurement or advertising, etc. The members are all acting jointly for the mutual business aims of the Cooperative.
In an entrepreneurs’ cooperative, the members work independently, but can also join forces to take on certain projects.
Purpose: Registration of a Coöperatie
Main specifications:
- a legal entity
- liability of members can be
- limited (coöperatie met beperkte aansprakelijkheid – BA)
- excluded (coöperatie met uitgesloten aansprakelijkheidcooperative – UA)
- no minimum capital
- various type of capital contributions from each partner (e.g. cash contribution, goods, labor)
- profit rights and voting rights can be attributed to the members in different ways
Registering authority: the Dutch Trade Register (subject to a deed executed by a Dutch notary)
Term of registration: 2-3 working days
Personal presence: Optional
Conditions for registration:
- Members of Cooperative – Minimum 2 (maximum – unlimited) natural/legal person of any nationality/jurisdiction
- Director – Minimum 1 (maximum – unlimited) natural/legal person of any nationality/jurisdiction
- Registered office address in the Netherlands
Required documents:
- Passport or European ID card (for all associated persons)
- Proof of residential address not older than 3 months (for all associated natural persons)
- Extract from the Trade Register not older than 3 months (for all associated legal persons)
- Document, authorizing to use the registered office address (Copy of the Rental Agreement, Authorization Letter from the Owner, Certificate on Property)
- Power of attorney (in case of remote registration)
- Signed copy of the Deed of Incorporation
Optional documents:
- Cooperative`s Membership Agreement.