Introduction to Company Law and Tax Law

Introduction

The course is divided into two main parts. The first part covers fundamental principles and rules in corporate law, while the second part addresses basic principles within direct taxation. In practice, there is a close interaction between corporate law and tax law, and the course will provide an understanding of this interplay.

Course content

The course covers the following topics:

Corporate Law:

• Overview of ownership forms and different ways to organize business activities.
• Basic features of EU and EEA corporate law.
• Fundamental aspects of private limited companies and public limited companies, including:
  • Rules regarding the incorporation of the company.
  • Rules regarding the company's share capital and equity.
  • Shareholder rights.
  • Rules concerning the transfer and restrictions on the transfer of shares.
  • Rules regarding the company's organization, including the rights and authority to enter into agreements on behalf of the company.
  • Rules regarding the use of the company's assets.
  • Rules regarding capital changes.
  • Basic features of limited partnerships.

Tax Law:

• Direct taxation:
• Criteria that create tax liability to a country.
• The fundamental principles and considerations behind a tax system.
• Who is the subject of taxation.
• General principles for corporate tax law, including:
  • Tax deductions.
  • Taxation of dividends.
  • Capital gains and losses.
  • Exemption models.
  • Shareholder model.
  • Participant model.
  • Corporate model.
• Tax rates.
• Timing rules.
• The interplay between Norwegian tax law, EEA law, and tax treaties.