The Register of Business Enterprises is responsible for registering
all Norwegian and foreign business enterprises in Norway.
The register shall ensure legal protection of business names
and provide a financial overview of a business enterprise.
It is also an important source of information for anyone in
need of correct information about participants in Norwegian
business and industry. The Register of Business Enterprises
has continued the functions of the approximately 100 former
local trade registers.
All enterprises operating business activities - both those
with unlimited as well as limited responsibilities - are obliged
to register with the Register of Business Enterprises. This
also applies to sole proprietorships operating a trade with
purchased goods or which employ more than five persons in
primary positions. Other sole proprietorships may register
on a voluntary basis.
Registration in the Register of Business Enterprises provides
a business enterprise with:
- The right to operate a business enterprise
- Legal protection of the business name
- A certificate of registration as identification
for lenders, legal registration authorities, and customs
and excise authorities
- A business enterprise organization number as important
identification to authorities and for coordinating private
and public business registers
- Identification of the executives of a business
enterprise
One of the most important objectives of the Register of Business
Enterprises is to establish beyond doubt who is responsible
for what in a business enterprise. The members of the board,
the general manager and the auditor must sign to prove that
they have assumed these responsibilities. If any changes are
made to the distribution of duties in a business enterprise,
these must be promptly reported to the Register of Business
Enterprises for registration. If the business enterprise neglects
to do so, it will be ordered to rectify the situation. Thus
the Register of Business Enterprises will always be able to
supply up-to-date information about who holds the various
positions in a business enterprise, changes to share capital,
whether a business enterprise has been sent to the bankruptcy
court for enforced dissolution or is undergoing liquidation
proceedings, and a number of other matters.
Most information in the Register of Business Enterprises
is available to the general public, making it an important
source of information for those who require reliable facts
and key information about a business enterprise.
The Register of Business Enterprises can also supply other
information about a business enterprise, for example copies
of memorandums of association and articles of association.
Moreover, it is possible to provide information from the historical
archives that contain documents from the former trade registers.
|
