A cooperative is a co-operative of natural or legal persons to which different rules of functioning apply than for other economic entities. A cooperative may be established within the territory of the European Union in the form of a European Cooperative Society. Above all, the main purpose of the European cooperative is to enable and facilitate cooperative activity on an international scale. Apart from this, it can also carry out its activities through subsidiaries. Read the article till the end and find out how to register a European Cooperative Society in the National Court Register.
How to file an application and required documents
Registration of a cooperative society with the National Court Register takes place on the basis of an application. Such an application may be filed in two ways:
online – using the Access and Information Portal (PDI),
traditionally – by mail or in person – to the district court (commercial court) relevant to the place of residence or registered office of the entity applying for entry by means of the official form KRS-W14
In addition to the completed form, forms and attachments should be attached:
KRS-WA – branches, field organizational units, KRS-WH – manner of establishing an entity, KRS-WK – bodies of the entity, KRS-WM – subject of activity, KRS-WL – proxies, attorneys of a cooperative, minutes stating the election of the management board and supervisory board, statutes of cooperatives, evidence of payment of fees.
Remember, if any changes occur after registration of a cooperative (e.g. change of registered office, change of supervisory board) you are obliged to report them within 7 days from their occurrence.
Registration of a European Cooperative Society with the National Court Register – Cost of registration
The fees which are necessary when filing the application for establishing a cooperative:
PLN 500 – court fee for entry in the KRS,
PLN 100 – fee for announcing the entry in Monitor Sądowy i Gospodarczy.
You may pay these fees
in cash at the court cashier’s office,
cashless – by transferring money to the court account or through the e-Payment system,
with e-court fee stamps.
Registration of a European Cooperative Society in the National Court Register – Waiting time for entry
The court considers the matter of registration in the National Court Register in a non-procedural proceeding. It has no more than 7 days for this action from the date of receipt of the application. If the application contains errors, you will be asked to correct them. After the corrections are made, the court will consider the motion within 7 days. If the hearing of the petition requires that the participants in the proceedings be heard or that a hearing be held, the court will have no more than one month to hear the petition.
