Corporations and limited liability companies with a 31 December year-end have until 30 April to hold their annual general meeting, and approve their accounts from the previous year (base year of 2015).
Article 1.078 of the Civil Code and Article 132 of the Corporate
Law (Law No. 6.404/76) determine that shareholders, or partners, of
corporations and limited liability companies, must conduct the
annual account approval with board of trade, within four months
after the end of the year, by means of the Partners' Meeting or
General Ordinary Meeting to approve them.
During these meeting, the balance sheet and other financial
statements are discussed; managers are elected and other issues
related to the company's interest are raised.
Why conduct annual account approval?
With the annual account approval, the company's results and managerial practices, especially non-partners (contractors), can be understood. Failure to approve the company's account may be detrimental when obtaining credit, commercial contracts and/or financing. By approving the accounts, partners validate the numbers presented by the managers.
Compliance perspective
Developing compliance programs is important in order to follow
local laws and regulations, demonstrate transparency towards the
market and ensure ethical business relations.
In Brazil, especially after the publication of Law No. 12.846/13,
known as the
Anticorruption Law, it has become essential for companies to
protect themselves against illegal acts.
In this context, the annual account approval, containing accounting
records that fully and precisely reflect the legal entity's
transactions, has the function of demonstrating the company's
integrity, and of those responsible for it, to its stakeholders
– clients, suppliers, creditors, among others.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
