Rivista del Diritto Commerciale e del diritto generale delle Obbligazioni

Abstract: The article addresses, on the basis of some ambiguous decisions of Italian courts, the question whether and to what extension the scope of the information and inspection rights granted to the shareholder of limited liability companies (Italian s.r.l.) by art. 2476, paragraph 2, of the Italian Civil Code, also includes information and documentation concerning subsidiaries or, more generally, companies belonging to the same group. The author argues that the shareholder’s right of information and inspection includes information on the relationships of the s.r.l. with the controlled and the controlling companies, the information provided by the subsidiaries for the purpose of preparing the consolidated financial statements, the corporate documentation (e.g. minutes of shareholders’ resolutions) of the direct subsidiaries, the directives and guidelines given to the directors of the subsidiaries, the directives given to the s.r.l. by the company or entity exercising the management and coordination activity on it. In other words, the answer to the question posed is necessarily analytical and distinguishes case by case. A general solution, in the sense, for example, that the shareholder’s information and inspection right always prevails on the principle of legal separateness of the group companies, should rest on a specific provision of the law, which is currently missing in our legal system and which, if introduced, should also reasonably apply to the shareholder of a joint-stock company belonging to a group.

Sommario: 1. Il problema: esiste il diritto del socio di s.r.l. ad ottenere informazioni sulle società controllate? – 2. La commisurazione di tale ipotetico diritto all’ambito delle informazioni possedute dall’organo amministrativo ella controllante. – 3. La nozione di “affari sociali” della controllante include altresì i rapporti con la società controllata. – 4. Sul diritto del socio alla consultazione della documentazione societaria relativa alle società controllate. – 5. Sul diritto del socio ad ottenere informazioni sulla gestione delle società controllate. – 6. Le eccezioni opponibili al socio istante. – 7. Le possibili strategie del socio a fronte del rischio di atti di mala gestio nelle controllate. – 8. Sull’esistenza e sui limiti di un diritto d’informazione in senso ascendente in capo al socio di s.r.l. sottoposta a direzione e coordinamento. – 9. Riepilogo.  

Keywords: Limited Liability Company — Groups of Companies — Shareholders’ Inspection Rights.