User:Otherthinker/SwissVerein

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A Swiss Verein is a form of legal association under Swiss law. The Verein (German for "association" or "club")[1] is commonly found as a small domestic social organisation in German-speaking communities but has gained recognition in the English-speaking world because the Swiss Verein has increasingly been the form of incorporation for transnational organisations including notable non-government organisations and global businesses carrying on nationally regulated professional activities such as accounting and law firms.[2]

Verein as club or association[edit]

The Verein is a feature of German-speaking communities. In 2006 there were some 600,000 such clubs in Germany alone catering for for almost every hobby and interest.[3] Having its origin in the Enlightenment when Vereine were founded as voluntary associations by the philosophes,[4] they emerged in the nineteenth century as small local social organisations.[2] The Verein is also a feature of modern Swiss life with many local clubs.[5]

Legal form[edit]

A Swiss Verein is governed by articles 60-79 of the Swiss Civil Code.[6]

Unlike clubs in common law jurisdictions,[7] the Verein has a legal personality distinct from its members, it becomes an independent legal entity. As a result, the Verein members are not individually liable for the association debts unless, by Article 75 of the Swiss Civil Code, the Verein statutes (articles of association) otherwise provide.[6]

Notable Swiss Vereine[edit]

See also[edit]

Note[edit]


References[edit]

  1. ^ "Verein" in Michael Clark and Olaf Thyen (eds) The Concise Oxford German Dictionary, (Oxford University Press, 2004, Oxford Reference Online) accessed 2 March 2012.
  2. ^ a b Edwin B. Reeser, "Swiss Verein - The Cassoulet Pot of Global Law Firm Structures", San Francisco Daily Journal, 18 August 2011, p 7 via JDSupra accessed 2 March 2012.
  3. ^ "Shooting Clubs: Centers of Tradition and Social Life for Many", Deutsche Welle, 30 July 2006 at 07:37 PM accessed 3 March 2012 via factiva.com; "In Germany, almost anyone can find the right Verein, or club, for their taste. There are currently close to 600,000 such clubs in Germany for practically every area of interest and every hobby. There are clubs for environmentalists and chocolate lovers, for the volunteer fire department and for the friends of the guinea pig."
  4. ^ John R. Eidson, "German Club Life as a Local Cultural System", Comparative Studies in Society and History, Vol. 32, No. 2 (Apr., 1990), pp. 357-382 JSTOR 178919 at pp. 365-6.
  5. ^ "Organizations, Clubs, Associations". City of Basel. Retrieved 3 March 2012. Switzerland is a country of clubs and associations. People like to get together and share a hobby: musical clubs, sporting clubs, nature lovers, collector's clubs – nothing is too eccentric.
  6. ^ a b "Verein". KMU Portal (in German). Swiss Confederation. Retrieved 2 March 2012.
  7. ^ Franck, Egon (2009). "Professional sports clubs and business enterprises – a comparative analysis of governance structures in football". Institute for Strategy and Business Economics, University of Zurich, Working Paper Series (Working Paper No. 106). ISSN 1660-1157. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)




Category: Law of Switzerland Category:Legal entities

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