Changing a company in the registry of commerce with a qualified electronic signature
The digital platform provided by Hoop makes it easy, fast and innovative to change companies in the Registry of commerce in Switzerland, and also offers the necessary advice during the change process.
An interesting innovation has recently arrived on the Swiss business scene: the possibility of changing companies in the Registry of commerce completely digitally. Thanks to the introduction of qualified electronic signatures to sign change documents, the entire process has been greatly simplified, making it quick and in step with the digital age.
We spoke to Silvio Enzler, COO of Hoop, and Lukas Rudolf, fiduciary entrepreneur with several offices in Switzerland, to find out what the concrete advantages are of using qualified electronic signatures in the change process of a company in Switzerland and what the next steps will be.
What is the difference between the traditional process of changing a company in the Registry of commerce and the digital one done with Hoop?
Lukas: Thanks to technological modernization and digitization of processes, it is no longer essential to adhere to the usual printing methods for company change documents, go in person or notarize signatures before an official notary public. Currently, it is feasible to change a company at the Registry of commerce via your computer or telephone, even when you are abroad.
Silvio: Changing a company digitally offers many advantages: you don't have to leave home to start the procedure, and all the paperwork related to changing the company is simplified. Moreover, the company change procedure is much faster than the standard one!
What does a company who wants to do a change need to know about electronic signatures?
Silvio: It should be known that in Switzerland the digital signature from a legal point of view has the same value as a traditional holographic signature and that the Hoop change process turns out to be much faster compared to the traditional one.
What must a person who wants to change his company with a electronic signature do?
Lukas: The only thing you need to do is to obtain a QES (qualified electronic signature) from a certified provider, such as DeepID. Once the signature is created, you will receive all the change documents from Hoop and you only have to digitally sign them and your change will be registered with the Registry of commerce.
Are all Registries of commerce ready to handle changes with digital signatures?
Silvio: The digital process is a very recent innovative reality, but all Registries of Commerce in Switzerland must accept digital changes. So far we have had positive experiences, and all the Registers of Commerce have accepted our digitally signed documents.
What are the next steps regarding company changes?
Silvio: The next step is to introduce all possible company changes into our platform. Companies, fiduciaries and notaries will be able to use the Hoop app to carry out any kind of change of their company that needs to be registered in the Registry of Commerce.
What do you recommend for those who want to change companies in the Registry of commerce with electronic signatures?
Silvio: In general, we encourage everyone to equip themselves with a digital signature, as it is expected to become an essential part of daily life in Switzerland in the near future, whether to change a company with Hoop or to solve so many other bureaucratic issues.
About Lukas Rudolf:
Lukas Rudolf is a fiduciary working at the trust company Confides AG. Lukas, who has gained a great deal of experience in the Swiss fiduciary industry during his career, saw in Hoop a great opportunity to speed up the process of mutating a company in the Registry of Commerce.
