Bibliographie sélective OHADA

Ex aequo et bono is a long-lived legal concept that enables arbitrators to decide a dispute based on notions of fairness instead of a strict application of legal norms. Jurists generally agree that arbitrators authorised to decide commercial disputes ex aequo et bono can more easily tailor arbitral procedure to achieve an efficient and fair dispute resolution process. They therefore agree that ex aequo et bono arbitration maximises procedural flexibility. However, this flexibility is now perceived more as a negative rather than a positive, despite the potential of ex aequo et bono to mitigate growing concerns about the ‘over-judicialisation’ of arbitration – the increasing formalisation and inefficiency of arbitral procedure. Commentators usually assert that ex aequo et bono introduces excessive unpredictability into arbitration and encourages arbitrators to abuse their discretion. As a result, ex aequo et bono has remained unpopular to this day. This thesis challenges this overly negative conception of ex aequo et bono. It does so particularly under the UNCITRAL Model Law, as an important foundation stone of the global commercial arbitration regime. The thesis investigates significant divergence in the understanding of ex aequo et bono across state jurisdictions and international arbitration institutions. It also analyses the core trends in actual legal practice and in thinking about the principle. The thesis thereby demonstrates that the Model Law requires arbitrators to ensure that their arbitral awards are based on three objective elements: contract terms, trade usages, and mandatory rules of law. Accordingly, while the Model Law allows arbitrators deciding ex aequo et bono to invoke their subjective conceptions of fairness as the ultimate gap-filler when discerning the intention of the parties, the scope for doing so is not unduly expansive. Further, the refinement of various legal theories underpinning international commercial arbitration has enabled parties to determine and challenge more readily the arbitrators’ subjective ideas of fairness. The thesis therefore concludes that the flexibility inherent in ex aequo et bono needs to be both re-evaluated and rejuvenated. It urges the international arbitration community to adopt a revitalised conception of ex aequo et bono to counter-balance the encroaching ‘over-judicialisation’ of arbitration.

Dans le contexte actuel d'échange automatique de renseignements en matière fiscale, quelles sont les perspectives de la médiation et de l'arbitrage comme modes de résolution des litiges relatifs aux services financiers - spécialement la gestion de fortune et le conseil en placement - que la place financière suisse offre à sa clientèle privée et institutionnelle suisse et étrangère? Cet article commence par un rapide tour d'horizon international de la situation. Il examine ensuite le développement de la médiation qui résultera de la mise en oeuvre de la loi sur les services financiers et s'achève par quelques réflexions sur l'arbitrage et les actions collectives dans ce domaine.

As a company distribution is a means by which wealth is transferred, it is a fertile ground for tax law reform to broaden the tax base and protect South Africa against base erosion and profit shifting. The South African government has identified the corporate tax structure, and many specific corporate tax rules, as areas in South African law in need of reform, and through which the policy objectives of stimulating foreign direct investment, promoting economic growth, and creating more employment opportunities can be achieved. This study involves an analysis on two levels: the corporate tax structure; and the specific tax legislation governing company distributions in South Africa. These aspects are contrasted with comparable rules in Australia and Canada. The study also evaluates the extent to which these laws conform to the normative values of equity, efficiency, certainty, and transparency, with the aim of suggesting improvements to promote South Africa’s current policy objectives. There are a variety of design models for a corporate tax structure. In the context of distributions, the ideal design should resolve whether tax should be paid on profit earned by a company, and also be levied on a second level, on distributions made to the company’s shareholders. Certain jurisdictions merge these two levels of tax to create a single taxable event which avoids the economic double taxation of income. There is, however, no dominant or universal model and several solutions can be mooted. Australia follows an imputation system which taxes corporate income at the first level of tax but grants a tax credit to shareholders on distribution, which means this income is taxed only once. Canada applies a hybrid integration system which also combines the two levels of tax and grants a tax credit to certain individual shareholders on distribution. However, the principles applied in these two models differ. The South African corporate tax structure is a hybrid, dual-rate system in terms of which different rates apply to corporate income and distributions to shareholders. All three systems offer relief for taxpayers which partially eliminates double taxation, with Australia having eliminated it fully for resident shareholders. In broad terms, a company distribution can be made by a company to its shareholders through either a return on capital or a return of capital. The policy approach adopted by the South African government is that all net accretions of wealth by the taxpayer should be taxable. Despite government’s intentions, there is a significant difference in the taxation rules applied to returns of an income nature (dividends and income), on the one hand, and returns of a capital nature (returns of capital, distribution of assets in specie) on the other. In addition, the net accretion of wealth is not always taxable on distribution to shareholders. In most instances the tax liability in respect of the return of capital is either deferred, or alternative rules are created which deviate from the principles and immediate tax liability that apply to returns on capital (dividends and income). In certain instances this deviation is justified, but in others it could lead to inequity between taxpayers and a narrowing of the tax base – both undesirable effects. A number of proposals are made to improve the law applicable to the taxation of company distributions as regards specific transactions. These are aimed, principally, at protecting the South African tax base against base erosion and profit shifting, and aligning South Africa’s tax law with international trends. The study finds that through the application of its hybrid dual-rate corporate tax system, South Africa has reduced economic double taxation to some extent, and that it is unnecessary for South Africa to integrate company- and shareholder-level tax. In addition, a variety of changes are suggested to improve the tax legislation applicable to specific company distributions, and to promote equity, certainty, and revenue collection. The South African tax legislation regulating company distributions is, in the main, fit for purpose, although there is room for improvement when it comes to simplicity, structure, and certainty.

No abstract provided.

Les Actes uniformes contiennent des dispositions impératives dont la violation est santionnée pénalement. Dans ce cas, l'Acte uniforme détermine simplement les faits infractionnels; la fixation du taux de la peine applicable à l'agent pénal relevant de la compétence du législateur national. Cela implique que, chaque fois qu'un Acte uniforme adopté entre en vigueur, l'instance étatique compétente établisse la norme dont la vocation est de completer les dispositions représsives du droit communautaire. mais il s'avère que certains membres de l'OHADA trainent le pas sur cette voie. La République Démocratique du Congo est encore à ce jour le dernier Etat à avoir adhérer à l'OHADA. Au nombre des difficultés auxquelles les praticiens du droit sont confrontés figure l'attitude à adopter, lorsque, dans une instance crilinelle, le juge est appelé à prononcer une condamnation pénale fondée sur la violation des faits prévus par l'Acte uniforme alors que la peine n'est pas encore déterminée. Dans la présente étude, le cas de figure pris en illustration est relatif à l'abus des biens socicaux. devant l'embarras du vide juridique, les solutions adoptées sont parfois étranges, à l'instar de l'application d'une sorte de peine "passe-partout" dont la modicité suscite des doutes quant à son efficacité si elle devrait être invoquée dans toutes les situations en attendant l'adoption des mesures plus appropriées.

Même si le droit uniforme OHADA, à travers notamment l'Act uniforme relatif au droit des sociétés commerciales et du GIE, règlement certains aspects du droit financier (les valeurs mobilières et l'appel public à l'épargne), il faut reconnaître que cette discipine juridique échape dans une large mesure à l'oeuvre d'harmonisation du législateur OHADA. La conséquence logique de cette situation est la faible implication du droit uniforme OHADA dans l'interconnexion des marchés financiers de son espace, la règlementation des marchés financiers étant principalement prise en charge par la CEMAC et l'UEMOA. Ainsi, étant donné que la quasitotalité des Etats membres de ces deux organisations sont aussi membres de l'OHADA et que cette dernière a non seulement une vocation continentale mais aussi un objet spécifique, l'intégration du droit des affaires dont le droit financier est du reste une compsante; il est souhaitable que l'OHADA joue une rôle plus prépondérant en matière de droit financier. La solution idéale est de voir l'OHADA intégrer le droit financier parmi les matières relevant du droit des affaires et adopter de ce fait un Acte uniforme relatif au droit financier. Néanmoins, pour éviter tout chevauchement de compétences avec les autres législateurs de la zone, la coopération et la concertation devront être privilégiées.

In recent years, investor-State tribunals have often permitted shareholders' claims for reflective loss despite the well-established principle of no reflective loss applied consistently in domestic regimes and in other fields of international law. Investment tribunals have justified their decisions by relying on definitions of "investment" in investment agreements that often include "shares", while the no-reflective-loss principle is generally justified on the basis of policy considerations pertaining to the preservation of the efficiency of the adjudicatory process and to the protection of other stakeholders, such as creditors. Although these policy considerations militating for the prohibition of shareholders' claims for reflective loss also apply in investor-State arbitration, they are curable in that context and must be balanced with policy considerations specific to the field of international investment law that weigh in favor of such claims: the protection of foreign investors in order to promote trade and investment liberalization.

Este trabajo trata del régimen especial de responsabilidad de los administradores por la llevanza de las páginas web corporativas de las sociedades de capital no cotizadas, establecido por el art.11-ter LSC. Este régimen, que solo se aplica al deber de mantenimiento de lo insertado y a la garantía de ausencia de interrupción al acceso, descarga e impresión gratuitos de la información publicada, parece diferir del régimen general de responsabilidad de administradores, establecido en los arts.236 a 241-bis, en algunos aspectos. El autor analiza esas diferencias, que pueden constituir la causa del pobre empleo en la actualidad de este instrumento en las sociedades de capital españolas.

Upon the recognition that the implementation of the judicial management process would not be the success that it was anticipated it would be, it became apparent that there was need for a system of corporate rescue appropriate to the needs of a modern South African economy. The legislature then introduced a new business rescue regime when the Companies Act 71 of 20082 (the Act) came into effect in the South African law. This new Act remarkably changed corporate law. One of the central features of the Act is the introduction of business rescue- a procedure which provides for the rehabilitation of financially distressed companies in a manner that seeks to balance the rights of all stakeholders. These provisions are said to be the appropriate method for modern South African economy and they differently affect the stakeholders of a company. This thesis will be discussing the different rights given to affected persons in the new Companies Act and examine how the provisions of business rescue affect different stakeholders of the company and compare such effects with those experienced under judicial management, specifically in light of the improvements of the positions of the stakeholders. Although the new business rescue is a remarkable improvement from the old judicial management system, there is still room for improvement.

Arbitration is a way to resolve disputes outside the courts as a form of an alternative dispute resolution. The submitted dispute will be decided by one or more arbitrators, who will then render an arbitral award. One of the most fundamental principles of arbitration that must be adhered to by all arbitrators worldwide is the impartiality and independence of arbitrators, which have been regulated in various International laws. Arbitrators are not allowed to communicate with any party related to the case they are hearing. Further, arbitrators should not be influenced by others in making their decision and drafting the arbitral award to ensure objectivity and prevent any bias. An arbitrator's failure to act impartial and independent can lead to the invalidity or annulment of an arbitral award.

In a globalized world, arbitration plays an increasing role in settling international disputes. Almost all areas of Law are or might be concerned. Until very recently, [international] taxation was - as a rule - seen as a not ‘arbitrable-friendly’ matter. As the ‘classical’ method of settling international tax disputes - i.e., based on the so-called ‘Mutual Agreement Procedure’ (shortly, ‘M.A.P.’) - has shown its limits (mainly: lack of efficiency and involvement from the taxpayers themselves), arbitration became a subject of study for well-known and established academics and even an appropriate method of settling such international tax issues. As a result, both on international (O.E.C.D.) and European levels, legal initiatives have been taken, in order to promote arbitration as an additional tool of settling disputes in the field of international taxation. The purpose of the present article is, therefore, to describe and scrutinize these [very] recent legal initiatives and raise some potential issues that, at least in the author’s view, need to be addressed. One of these issues concerns the enforcement of such arbitral decisions.

No abstract available.