Präsenzlose Gesellschafterbeschlüsse

Vincent Stelzhammer

doi:10.1628/978-3-16-164816-8

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Vincent Stelzhammer

Präsenzlose Gesellschafterbeschlüsse

Eine vergleichende Untersuchung zum deutschen und französischen Recht

[Remote Shareholder Resolutions. A Comparative Study of German and French Law.]

2026. 403 pages.

forthcoming in July 2026

Studien zum ausländischen und internationalen Privatrecht (StudIPR) 553

DOI 10.1628/978-3-16-164816-8

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CC BY 4.0
978-3-16-164816-8

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Summary

How can shareholders effectively interact when they are not physically present at a meeting? Vincent Stelzhammer compares German and French law on remote shareholder resolutions and identifies approaches for modernizing company law in the digital age.

This study examines remote shareholder resolutions in German and French company law from a comparative legal perspective. It focuses on the tension between three core shareholder interests: flexibility in decision-making, protection of participation rights, and legal certainty of resolutions. The central premise is that both legal systems face comparable challenges arising from digitalization, yet have developed different legal approaches that may serve as mutual sources of inspiration for legal reform and harmonization.
The analysis follows a functional comparative method and is structured according to the degree of contractual freedom within the respective company forms. It examines companies with broad organizational flexibility - in particular the German civil-law partnership (GbR), the société civile, the limited liability company (GmbH), and the société à responsabilité limitée - as well as companies subject to stricter statutory regulation, such as the stock corporation (AG), the société anonyme, the partnership limited by shares (KGaA), and the société en commandite par actions. For each company form, the study addresses direct and indirect resolution procedures, defects in resolutions, and special rules introduced during the pandemic.
The study demonstrates that both legal systems often arrive at comparable outcomes while relying on different doctrinal approaches. French law proves in some respects to be more advanced from a regulatory perspective, particularly regarding digital participation in shareholders' meetings and the reformed law on defective resolutions. The work also develops concrete proposals for the harmonization of digital company law.

Table of contents:

§ 1 Einleitung
Teil 1: Präsenzlose Gesellschafterbeschlüsse in Gesellschaften mit ausgeprägter Gestaltungsfreiheit
§ 2 Die GbR und die SC
§ 3 Die GmbH und die SARL
§ 4 Vergleich: Bewertung bei ausgeprägter Gestaltungsfreiheit
Teil 2: Präsenzlose Gesellschafterbeschlüsse in Gesellschaften mit eingeschränkter Gestaltungsfreiheit
§ 5 Die AG und die SA
§ 6 Die KGaA und die SCA
§ 7 Vergleich: Bewertung bei eingeschränkter Gestaltungsfreiheit
§ 8 Fazit: Rechtsfortbildung und Rechtsharmonisierung
Résumé en langue française