The Central Bank of the Russian Federation has developed a new regulation on general meetings of shareholders, which introduces significant changes to the procedure for shareholder participation and interaction with joint-stock companies.

According to the draft, holders of both ordinary and preferred shares will have the right to participate in general meetings, even without voting rights. They will be able to express opinions and ask questions by providing an extract from the shareholder register or a depository account issued no later than two days before the meeting.

However, the company will not be obligated to notify such persons of the meeting or provide materials for it in accordance with the Law on Joint-Stock Companies.

Under the new rules, participants will be able to audio record, photograph, and video the event. The procedure for recording the date of receipt of certain documents by the company will also change: they will be considered received from the date of delivery to the company's address from the Unified State Register of Legal Entities or from its website.

These changes are planned to come into effect on January 1, 2027.

Conclusion:

Expanding shareholder rights to participate without voting rights and the ability to record meeting proceedings will require companies to revise their internal regulations and procedures. It is also important to consider the new rules for determining the date of receipt of documents to avoid legal conflicts and ensure the timely execution of corporate procedures.