Cyprus: Contracts and Commercial Law

The company secretary in Cyprus serves as a mandatory officer for private limited liability companies, functioning as far more than an administrative role. This position bridges corporate governance, regulatory compliance, and operational efficiency, maintaining statutory frameworks while supporting directors in ensuring corporate actions are properly executed and recorded.

From the 15th March 2024, a new set of legal provisions started to apply whenever a Cyprus Company is converted from a Cyprus company to one of the companies of the Member States of the European Union or when a company from a Member State of the European Union is converted to a Cyprus company. This is due to the amendment of the Companies Law (No.3) of 2024 (Law 26(I)/2024) (the “Amendment Law”) that transposed into domestic law the provisions of Directive (EU) 2019/2121 (the “Mobility Directive”) that amended Directive (EU) 2017/1132 as regards cross-border conversions.

In today’s knowledge-based economy, confidential business information represents one of the most valuable assets of any enterprise. Recognizing the importance of protecting such information, the Cypriot legislator enacted the Protection of Undisclosed Know-How and Business Information (Trade Secrets) from Unlawful Acquisition, Use and Disclosure Law of 2020 (Law 164(I)/2020), which transposed Directive (EU) 2016/943 into domestic law (the “Law”).

As part of the campaign of the Department of the Registrar of Companies and Intellectual Property to ensure the compliance of all registered entities with the obligation to submit annual returns along with audited financial statements, ...

A point that often causes confusion is the assumption that a Cyprus company can be registered immediately once instructions are given.

International trade inevitably operates in an environment of risk. While businesses anticipate ordinary commercial risks, geopolitical developments can create sudden disruptions that are beyond the control...

This article discusses Cyprus-seated international arbitration in light of the adoption of the UNCITRAL Model Law by legislation passed in 1987 and with particular reference to the passage of amending legislation in 2024...

A Controlled Foreign Company (CFC) is usually a foreign subsidiary controlled by local shareholders (often >50% ownership by residents of the parent company's country).

In practical terms, if your franchise model relies on the franchisee using the franchisor's proprietary software, operating system, or tech tools that were developed in-house, the portion of franchise income attributable to that IP could fall under the Cyprus IP Box