Knowledge guide to international company registration

All legal forms of companies must present financial statements to Inspección General de Justicia (IGJ), while companies that are listed on the Buenos Aires Stock Exchange are published in their newspaper and at the Comisión Nacional de Valores (CNV).

Publicly available information from the Australian Business Register, supplied by companies when they register for an Australian Business Number (ABN), can be accessed via the ABN Lookup.

Certain companies are required to lodge financial reports with the Australian Securities and Investments Commissions (ASIC). Generally, small proprietary companies do not have to prepare or send financial statements to the ASIC.

Companies listed on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) must also submit their financial statements to the ASX.

Publication requirements for small, medium and large corporations differ depending upon the size and legal form of a firm. All are filed in the commercial register.

Financial statements for large AGs, banks, insurance companies and investment funds must also be published in the official daily newspaper the Wiener Zeitung

Company information is available from the European Business Register (EBR).

The Central Register of Commerce in Belgium is managed by Euro DB. Information from the register is available via a subscription service.

Certain companies have to file accounts with the Central Balance Sheet Office of the National Bank of Belgium. The National Bank of Belgium provides information about filing annual accounts including companies which are required to file.

Company's accounts are available from the National Bank of Belgium through a dynamic catalogue. They can also be obtained via the European Business Register (EBR).

The Corporations Canada section of the Industry Canada site has information on business incorporation. There is also a directory of Canadian federal corporations.

The Canadian Business Services Centres contains information about registering a business and is organised by province/territory.

Only quoted companies are obliged to make their financial statements public. SEDAR, the System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval, is a filing system developed for the Canadian Securities Administrators and provides access to public securities documents and information filed by public companies.

The Danish Commerce and Companies Agency (DCCA) is the official registry for Danish businesses.

The Central Business Register (CVR) contains primary data on all businesses in Denmark. Information, including financial data, can be downloaded from the site for a fee.

Company information can also be obtained via the European Business Register (EBR).

The European Business Register (EBR) is a network of national business registers and information providers from over 25 European countries. The company information comes from the official business registry of the country. A subscription is required to use this service.

The National Board of Patents and Registration of Finland is the official register for Finnish companies. Most businesses must submit their annual accounts to the register. Further information can be obtained from the Trade Register.

Company information is available from the Finnish Business Information System, and can also be obtained via the European Business Register (EBR).

The trade and companies register Infogreffe provides access to company information and annual accounts.

The filing of accounts and other statutory information is published in the Bulletin Officiel D'Annonces Civiles et Commerciales (BODACC), the official bulletin of civil and commercial notices.

Company information can also be obtained from the European Business Register (EBR).

On January 1st 2007 the Electronic Commercial Register, Cooperative Society Register and Company Register Act (Gesetz über elektronische Handelsregister und Genossenschaftsregister sowie das Unternehmensregister) came into force in Germany.

The act introduced electronic registration through the Elektronisches Gerichts- und Verwaltungspostfach (EGVP) website and a new centralised online point of access for company information through the Unternehmensregister.

All companies are required to file annual accounts with the electronic Federal Gazette Bundesanzeiger Verlagsgesellschaft and to publish them once a year.

The Judicial register of the federal states is a portal providing access to registers of companies, cooperatives and partnerships registered in all federal states in Germany as well as announcements for the register.

The Gibraltar: Finance Centre provides a summary of company registration in Gibraltar.

Business Search is a service provided by the Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Greece (ACCI). This service displays detailed company data. Registration is required.

Company information can also be obtained from the European Business Register (EBR).

The Guernsey Register holds information on all companies registered in Guernsey. A Company search is available, with charges applying for some information.

All companies must register and file financial statements with the Companies Registry. The Companies Registry website outlines what information is available to the public. Data can be accessed via the Companies Registry's Cyber Search Centre. A charge is made for some company information.

Companies register within the various States and Union Territories with the Registrar of Companies (ROC).

The Companies Registration Office is the central repository of public statutory information on Irish companies and business. A Company Search is available as well as information on company registration and filing requirements.

The Companies Registry maintains the register and records of all companies and other business types incorporated in the Isle of Man. An online search is available and company documents can also be purchased.

Infocamere - Società Consortile di Informatica delle Camere Di Commercio Italiane per Azioni is the Italian Chambers of Commerce which operates the national system linking the country's Chambers of Commerce and branch offices. Company information can be obtained from Infocamere and via the European Business Register (EBR).

The Chamber of Commerce portal provides information on setting up a business in Italy.

Companies register with the Jersey Financial Services Commission Companies Registry. The web site include company search, application forms, guidance notes and information on relevant legislation.

All companies are obliged to enter their key details in the Trade Register which is managed by the Netherlands Chamber of Commerce. Seaching the register is free but a charge is made for some information.

Companies required to file a financial report with the Chamber of Commerce each financial year include private limited liability companies (BVs), public limited liability companies limited by shares (NVs),cooperatives and mutual benefit companies.

Companies must register and file annual returns with the New Zealand Companies Office.

Company information is available from the Companies Office Register. Basic company information is free whilst other data is priced.

Companies listed on the New Zealand Stock Exchange (NZX) must also submit their financial statements to the NZX.

The Brønnøysund Register Centre is a government body under the Norwegian Ministry of Trade and Industry which consists of a number of national registers.

The Register of Company Accounts collects annual accounts from all private and public limited companies, savings banks, mutual insurance companies and petroleum enterprises.

The Register of Business Enterprises registers all Norwegian and foreign business enterprises in Norway. Most information in the Register is available to the public.

Online access to Announcements from these registers is available. Fees for information apply for most of the services from the Brønnøysund Register Centre

Company information can also be obtained via the European Business Register (EBR).

Companies must register and file financial statements with the Commercial Registry. See the Institute of Registries and Notaries for more information (Portuguese language only)

GuiaNet provides basic company information and is available in English.

Companies file with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA). A list of Filing requirements is available on their site.

A Directory of Registered Entities is also available on the ACRA site. Basic information such as registered number, name and status is available for free with other information priced.

Companies must register with the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission. Click on Additional Services to search for a company by name.

Capital companies file their financial statements with an agency of the commercial registrar in their province. Information is supplied to the Registro Mercantil Central (Central Business Register).

For more information see the Commercial Register section of the Spanish Registers site.

Company information can also be obtained via the European Business Register (EBR).

The stock market requires that quoted companies supply particular information to the National Securities and Exchange Commission (CNMV).

Companies must register with the Bolagsverket which is the Swedish Companies Registration Office.

All limited liability companies have to file annual accounts. Other companies may have to file accounts depending upon their size. Accounts are filed with the Bolagsverket

Company information is available from the Bolagsverket and also the web site Allabolag.se

The European Business Register (EBR) also provides company information for Sweden.

Zefix, the Central Business Names Index of the Federal Commercial Registry Office, contains details of all companies listed in the Commercial Register.

Only companies with shares on a stock exchange or that have bond issues outstanding are required to publish financial statements.

Companies House is the registration body for the UK, including Northern Ireland. Information from Companies House includes advisory documents on company formation and company names, checklists for company registration, guidance notes and forms. It also offers a company information database.

The Registry of Credit Unions and Industrial and Provident Societies is the registration body for Northern Ireland responsible for credit unions and industrial and provident societies only; companies in Northern Ireland register at Companies House. The registry website offers forms, guidance and a searchable database of registered entities.

Incorporation is the responsibility of the State governments with requirements varying according to State law. See Corporate registrations in the US on the UK Companies House web site for more information and links to States web sites.

All public companies have to file financial statements with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Private companies are not required to. Search for company filings in the EDGAR Database