What legal forms exist in the Netherlands?

Corporate law is part of private law and deals with legal entities, in this case profit-making companies. When starting a company, a legal form with legal personality must be chosen. Legal forms with legal personality in the Netherlands are:

• a private limited company
• a public limited company
• a cooperative
• a mutual insurance company
• a foundation
• an association
• a European public limited company

The chosen legal form determines, among other things, the liability for debts of a company or organisation and its tax obligations. Organisations with legal personality act independently and have rights and obligations. In the case of a legal form without legal personality (sole proprietorship, general partnership (VOF), limited partnership (CV), professional partnership), the owner is personally liable for the debts of the company.