Introduction of Central Shareholders Register (CAHR)

What changes?

A Central Shareholders Register (Centraal Aandeelhoudersregister, CAHR) will be implemented to help fight financial crimes such as money laundering. This register contains information on shareholders of private limited companies (bv or besloten vennootschap) and non-listed public limited companies (nv or naamloze vennootschap). The information in the register is supplied by (common law) notaries.

Currently registration of shareholders is done by various parties. This does not ensure a complete overview and the information is not always up to date. Besides that, the information is not always accessible for governmental inspection or supervision.

Because of privacy issues the register will not be accessible to the general public. The register is only accessible by the shareholders, notaries and governmental organisations. The Central Shareholders Register will be part of the business register and is to be managed by the Netherlands Chamber of Commerce (KVK). The Central Shareholders Register (CAHR) is not the same as the UBO-register

For whom?

• shareholders of private limited companies and non-listed public limited companies
• European public limited companies with their statutory base in the Netherlands
• governmental agencies such as Justis (Judiciary Service), Bibob office, special (investigatory) services, security services and intelligence agencies, police and the Public Prosecution service.

When?

It is not yet known when this change in regulation will come into force.

Please note: The effective date of this measure is not yet final. Entry into force is subject to its passing through the upper and lower houses of parliament or proclamation of the Order in Council (Algemene Maatregel van Bestuur, AMvB) or ministerial decree and publication in the Staatsblad or the Staatscourant (Government Gazette, in Dutch).