Developments in European Company Law. Volume 2/1997: the quest for an ideal legal form for small businesses

Developments in European Company Law. Volume 2/1997: the quest for an ideal legal form for small businesses:

This second volume of 'Developments in European Company Law' focuses on the quest for an ideal form for small businesses. It presents papers given at a conference by the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies in collaboration with the Centre for Business Law of the University of the Orange Free State, in London, Autumn 1997. The discussions were chaired by Professor A.J. Boyle and Professor J.J. Henning and ranged across a broad range of issues.

The editors of this volume have chosen to focus on those issues of most direct relevance to the debate in Europe and in particular the United Kingdom. The debate as to whether the traditional registered company, perhaps with some modification, is an appropriate vehicle for small enterprises has continued in Britain for well over thirty years. Although discussion of the issue has been more sporadic in the rest of Europe, when the issue has arisen the debate has been intense.

The imperative behind reform in this area of the law, in many cases, will be political and this is perhaps most dramatically illustrated in the case of South Africa. Discussion as to the development of appropriate legal forms for South African small enterprises has taken place for many years and consequently the legal heritage of South African law renders South Africa's approach to these issues of no little interest in Europe.