The ZEFIX Portal of the Commercial Register – Switzerland
The ZEFIX portal of the Swiss commercial register is a cornerstone of transparency and legal security for businesses. It offers crucial information about registered companies, thus ensuring the protection of third parties and good faith in commercial transactions.
What is the ZEFIX Portal of the Commercial Register?
The ZEFIX portal of the Swiss commercial register is an official database that contains legal and economic information about companies domiciled in Switzerland. The commercial register is administered by the cantons under the supervision of the Confederation. Each canton has at least one commercial register, and these registers are interconnected via the central index of company names, accessible online on the ZEFIX portal.
The ZEFIX portal is a centralized tool managed by the Federal Office of the Commercial Register (OFRC) in Switzerland, allowing online access to data of companies registered in the Swiss commercial register. Accessible via the ZEFIX portal, this service enables consultation of essential information on active legal entities, including the company name, headquarters, and domicile address.
Users can search and view company extracts and download certified statutes. These documents are available via the ZEFIX web application, as well as through a REST API and a dedicated mobile app.
ZEFIX centralizes data from the cantonal registers and makes it accessible to the public, ensuring transparency and legal security in commercial relationships. In addition to extracts and statutes, it is possible to consult daily publications of the commercial register in the Swiss Official Gazette of Commerce (SOGC).
Role and Objectives of the ZEFIX Commercial Register
The ZEFIX commercial register has several key objectives:
Legal Security: It ensures transparency in the legal relationships of companies, facilitating decision-making for business partners and investors.
Protection of Third Parties: By making essential information about companies public, it protects third parties from the risks of fraud and mismanagement.
Legal Publicity: It publishes legally relevant facts in the Swiss Official Gazette of Commerce (SOGC), a publicly accessible publication.
Types of Entities Registered on ZEFIX
According to the Ordinance on the Commercial Register (OCR), several types of Swiss entities must register:
– Sole proprietorships with an annual turnover exceeding CHF 100,000.
– General partnerships and limited partnerships.
– Corporations (AG) and limited liability companies (GmbH).
– Cooperatives, associations managing a commercial enterprise, and certain foundations.
Information Contained in the ZEFIX Register
Registration in the ZEFIX commercial register includes several crucial pieces of information:
– Company name (corporate name).
– Year of foundation.
– Headquarters and purpose of the company.
– Names of partners, board members, and authorized signatories.
– Capital situation and auditor, if applicable.
Registration Process in the Swiss Commercial Register and Consultation on ZEFIX
Registration
Registration in the commercial register is mandatory for the entities mentioned above. The process involves:
- Submission of required documents to the competent cantonal register.
- Publication of the registration in the Swiss Official Gazette of Commerce.
- Payment of associated fees.
Consultation on ZEFIX
The commercial register is public and can be consulted online for free via the ZEFIX portal. Users can search for companies, order certified extracts, and obtain detailed information on the statutes and members of registered companies.
Advantages of Registration
Registration in the commercial register offers several advantages:
– Name Protection: The company name is protected in its canton for sole proprietorships and throughout Switzerland for AG and GmbH.
– Credibility and Trust: Registration enhances the company’s credibility, increasing the trust of business partners and customers.
– Access to Legal Rights: Registered companies benefit from specific rights, such as the ability to do business under a protected name and access to certain tax and commercial advantages.
Modernization and Accessibility
The Federal Office of the Commercial Register continually strives to modernize the register to make it more accessible and useful. The ZEFIX portal now offers a REST API, allowing developers to integrate register data into their applications. Additionally, some data is available on the opendata.swiss portal, facilitating access to updated information on active legal entities.
The Swiss commercial register plays a crucial role in the legal and economic protection of companies and third parties. By ensuring transparency and reliability of commercial information, it promotes a healthy and secure business environment. Entrepreneurs and investors can thus make informed decisions based on official and verifiable data.
Swiss Commercial Register – Contact Us
My Swiss Company SA – Corporate Services Provider offers a wide range of services to facilitate the registration and modification of companies in the commercial register and ZEFIX in several Swiss cantons, such as Lucerne, Zug, Geneva, Vaud, Fribourg, Neuchâtel, Zurich, and Aargau. Here is a detailed overview of the services offered:
Registration of New Companies
My Swiss Company SA handles all necessary steps for the legal registration of Swiss companies on ZEFIX, including:
– Drafting of Statutes: Assistance in preparing the company’s statutes, essential for defining the legal basis of its operations.
– Notarial Deeds: Coordination with notaries for the execution of deeds necessary for registration.
– Registration in the Commercial Register: Complete management of the registration process, ensuring compliance with legal requirements.
These services apply to various legal forms such as corporations (AG), limited liability companies (GmbH), and sole proprietorships.
Managing Statutory changes on ZEFIX
Statutory changes represent significant updates for any company. My Swiss Company SA – Corporate Services Provider offers services to manage these changes, including:
– Name Change: Procedures for modifying the commercial name or company name.
– Address Change: Updating the official address of the company or its establishments.
– Changes in Management: Adding, removing, or modifying information related to management members, directors, or authorized signatories.
– Change of Legal Form: Transforming a sole proprietorship into a limited liability company or a corporation.
– Capital Change: Assistance in procedures to register increases or decreases in share capital.
– Transfer of Shares: Managing changes in the ownership of shares.
– Dissolution and Liquidation: Assistance during voluntary or forced dissolution and the liquidation process.
– Modification of Business Purpose: Updating the company’s official activities or objectives.
– Other Statutory Changes: Managing any other necessary amendments to the company’s statutes.
Ongoing Advice and Assistance
My Swiss Company SA offers continuous support to help companies navigate the complex regulatory framework of the commercial registers and ZEFIX. This includes advice on the legal, tax, and administrative implications of each step in the registration and mutation process.
My Swiss Company SA positions itself as a trusted partner for all Swiss or international companies wishing to establish or restructure in Switzerland, offering professional and personalized service to ensure compliance with legal requirements and regulations.
For more information or to request our services, please contact us via our website or directly by phone.
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