Authority to sign and accountability

A company is always represented by people who are able to 'sign' on behalf of the company. If the trade register shows that someone is authorized to sign on behalf of a particular company, you can rely on that information. Besides the registered company, anyone consulting the register is protected by the third party protection provided by the trade register. The authority to sign varies according to the legal form of the company and is sometimes subject to limitations. Accountability in respect of claims also varies according to the legal form of the company.

The register as 'the truth'
Everyone can assume that the register reflects the actual situation. You can therefore rely on what is recorded in the trade register concerning such matters as someone's authority to sign. Conversely, a registered company cannot argue that 'Whilst it is true that Mrs X is recorded in the trade register as being an authorized signatory, this is not in fact the case'.