Out-Law / Your Daily Need-To-Know
Companies in Singapore can no longer hold formal meetings online from July 2023
29 Dec 2022, 5:01 am
Companies, variable capital companies and business trusts in Singapore will no longer be able to hold formal meeting online effective 1 July 2023, unless they are expressly allowed to do so under their written laws or governing instruments.
Mayumi Soh of Pinsent Masons MPillay, the Singapore joint law venture between MPillay and Pinsent Masons, said: “These latest changes are a sign that the country is well on its journey to reopening. Companies should take note and make the necessary amendments to their governing instruments if they wish to continue holding online meetings.”
Known as Alternative Arrangements for Meeting Orders (Meeting Orders), the measure was introduced in April 2020 as part of the Covid-19 Temporary Measures. During the Covid-19 pandemic, it was sometimes impractical for companies to hold meetings requiring in-person attendance even if this was the default requirement under a company’s written law or its governing regulation.
Under the Meeting Orders, companies in Singapore have been allowed to hold online meetings so that to minimise physical interactions and transmission risks during the pandemic, even if this was not allowed under written law or legal instruments which provided for the meetings.
Those companies will have six months to resume their usual meeting arrangements, according to a statement by Singapore’s Ministry of Law (MinLaw).
The Meeting Orders was originally expected to expire on 30 September 2020 but was extended given the Covid-19 pandemic situation.
Contact an adviser
