Minority Rights In The Société Anonyme: An Internal Enemy Or A Determinant Of Health?
Part B’- The Exceptional Auditing
According to Solon the Athenian: “Best governance is where the people obey the rulers and the rulers obey the laws”. In the course of history, it has turned out that everyone who rules embraces (apparently, or even deeply) Louis Ludwig’s XIV saying “L ‘etat c’ est moi” (“the state is me” – for which we have already referred to in Part A of the present). In order to ensure legitimacy in the parliamentary democracy, the principle: “the government rules and the opposition controls” (rightly) applies.
All of this, of course, does not concern politics alone, as it would be easy (and reasonably) able to make the visibility in life and business: Thus, obviously, brought birth to the need for control of the (small or large) majority of each minority. To safeguard the property of the latter but also the property of the enterprise. To ensure its prosperity and its growth.
And finally: A company under the watchful eye of multiple controls and auditors pretends (and potential investors and/or creditors) for clear financial and “clean” representations …
Regular And Exceptional Auditing In The Société Anonyme
We have referred to minority rights (interests) in the Société Anonyme in a previous article. In the present, our reference is limited to the minority rights that are linked to the exercise of exceptional auditing.
The regular auditing is distinguished for its periodicity as it relates to the approval of the annual financial statements by the General Meeting of the companies concerned (but not necessarily for those designated as small and very small entities). Therefore, exceptional auditing may be carried out in a company under regular auditing.
In this context, it is not paradoxical to overlap (partial or total) specific auditing areas: for example, checking the fund is subject to regular auditing but it may also be the subject of exceptional auditing.
In any case, the exceptional auditing may:
(a) also cover areas not covered by the regular auditing such as, for example, the feasibility of managing the company;
(b) be always more targeted than the regular;
(c) be carried out, in principle, by persons other than those carrying out the regular auditing and in different ways by the appointed ones;
(d) result in a finding that is not primarily addressed to the same recipients.
Types, Conditions and Exceptional Auditing Procedure
In the event that the conduct of acts contrary to the law, the articles of association and/or resolutions of the General Meeting is assumed, shareholders representing more than 1/20 of the share capital of the Société Anonyme (or, for listed companies, by the Securities and Exchange Commission) are entitled to submit a request to the competent Court for the purpose of carrying out the relevant auditing (article 142, par. 1 & 2, l. 4548/2018). The relevant application shall be submitted within three years from the approval of the financial statements for the year in which the transactions in question appear to relate.
However, if the circumstances show that the management of the company is not exercised in a proper or prudent manner, shareholders representing more than one fifth (1/5) of its share capital shall be entitled to apply to the competent court for the purpose of carrying out the audit ( Article 142 par.3, l. 4548/2018).
The court decides whether or not to accept the verification request after checking whether or not the aforementioned conditions are met. It is likely that the requesting minority shareholders are represented in the Board of Directors (either because they have directly appointed members or because they have been elected members of the list of potential shareholders nominated by the shareholders). In this case, the court may also assess that there is no justification for the submission of such a request which, in such a case, will be rejected.
The Auditors And the Conduct Of The (Exceptional) Auditing
f the court accepts the request for auditing, it specifies the persons who will carry it out (Article 143). The persons entrusted with the auditing may be:
(a) an audit firm or, at least, a statutory auditor;
(b) Holders of an A class accountant’s license from the relevant Economic Chamber and, in addition (when it comes to the legitimacy or good governance)
(c) persons with any specific knowledge, if required.
The court, when accepting the request, also determines the amount of the remuneration of the appointed auditors, as well as the procedural issues regarding the time of payment, the possible advance payment and the person charged (if the applicants are liable for payment or the company under auditing).
The auditors appointed will have to complete the auditing assigned to them in the shortest possible time. The relevant result is handed over to the applicant as well as to the Company. The Board of Directors is obliged to inform the shareholders of the company (no later than the next General Meeting) and the Hellenic Capital Market Commission – in the case of a listed company.
However, it is important to underline that there is an independent obligation for auditors to submit their findings to the competent public prosecutor in case they find that criminal offenses have been committed.
Exceptional Auditing: A Blessing or A Curse
The exceptional auditing is usually conducted either when there is evidence or suspicion of mismanagement or when the demand for applicants is to exert pressure on the managers.
Taking into account the potential scope and depth of the auditing being carried out, the exceptional auditing may work:
(a) dissuasive or unlawful or unauthorized acts;
(b) as a means of exerting pressure on their executives or (under certain conditions) of their extortion;
(c) as (critical) evidence in the context of claims against the persons involved.
It follows from the above that the right to conduct exceptional auditing is of particular importance in the operation and (conditionally) in the life of the société anonyme itself. This is even more perceptible when criminal offenses are identified, so the competent prosecutor must also be involved.
In any case: The emergence of unauthorized or unlawful acts through an official (legally ordered) auditing procedure can only cause problems for the company itself – and not only to the case-by-case, insolvent or legally culpable persons.
Minority rights in Conclusion
The recognition of the (exceptional) auditing of the société anonyme by minority shareholders is of no doubt that it sometimes works positively (sometimes even beneficial) in the exercise of its management and in the achievement of the corporate purpose. There is also no doubt that it works in the direction of assisting the development of entrepreneurship as well as potential synergies.
The mediation of the competent court to investigate the fulfillment of the conditions for carrying out the exceptional auditing adds value to the procedure, but also to the seriousness of its outcome. It is basically a result that can hardly be ignored by the members of the Board of Directors, the shareholders and the competent authorities. (And especially with regard to the latter let’s always keep in mind that no business is able to work absolutely thoroughly …).
Accordingly, any abuse (sometimes simple exercise) of the right in question is harmful not only to the majority shareholder but also to the legal entity it concerns, itself. From this perspective, we all (majority and minority shareholders, legal representatives, courts dealing with such cases) work towards balancing potentially opposed interests and, ultimately, towards safeguarding the interests of the société anonyme.
Only.-
Stavros Koumentakis
Senior Partner
P.S. A brief version of this article for minority rights has been published in MAKEDONIA Newspaper (April 27th, 2019).
