Convergence in Shareholder Law

Mathias M. Siems examines whether the shareholder law of six countries is becoming more similar internationally.

Has the increasing economic and political interdependence of countries led to the convergence of national legal systems, or is this development unrealistic and unnecessary? Siems examines company law to see how this issue affects shareholder law, and analyses economic and political factors which may or may not lead to convergence.On the one hand, it can be argued that the increasing economic and political interdependence of countries has led to the convergence of national legal systems. On the other hand, advocates of the counterhypothesis maintain that this development is both unrealistic and unnecessary. Mathias M. Siems examines the company law of the UK, the USA, Germany, France, Japan and China to see how this issue affects shareholder law. The author subsequently analyses economic and political factors which may or may not lead to convergence, and assesses the extent of this development. Convergence of Shareholder Law not only provides a thorough comparative legal analysis but also shows how company law interconnects with political forces and economic development and helps in evaluating whether harmonisation and shareholder protection should be enhanced.