Forms of Business Structure in Egypt
The Law of Commerce No. 17 of 1999 and Companies Law No. 159 of 1981 establish Egypt’s legal business structures. The Law of Commerce covers sole proprietorships and basic partnerships generally, while the Companies Law governs joint stock companies, limited partnerships by shares, and limited liability companies extensively.
The limited liability company and the joint stock company are two structures that restrict stockholders’ liability. Other corporate structures are less common, since they imply unlimited liability for at least one of the owners or partners.
In Egypt, the four most frequent legal business structures are:
- Joint Stock Company.
- Limited Liability Company.
- Representation office.
- Foreign Branch.
In addition to forms run from other nations in Egypt without registration, such as
- Franchise
Egypt’s legislative environment in these aspects, in my opinion, covers all concerns except the franchise, which requires further regulating legislation.
Raoof Zaalouk
Associate