{"id":1593,"date":"2016-12-27T16:27:26","date_gmt":"2016-12-27T16:27:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/williamslawpanama.com\/?p=1593"},"modified":"2023-07-27T11:26:35","modified_gmt":"2023-07-27T16:26:35","slug":"law-no-52-of-2016-which-establishes-the-obligation-to-maintain-accounting-records-for-certain-legal-persons-and-issues-other-provisions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/williamslawpanama.com\/es\/law-no-52-of-2016-which-establishes-the-obligation-to-maintain-accounting-records-for-certain-legal-persons-and-issues-other-provisions\/","title":{"rendered":"LEY NO. 52 DE 2016, POR EL CUAL SE ESTABLECE LA OBLIGACIO\u0301N DE MANTENER REGISTROS CONTABLES PARA DETERMINADAS PERSONAS JURI\u0301DICAS Y DICTA OTRAS DISPOSICIONES."},"content":{"rendered":"<p><!--:en--><\/p>\n<h4>Main Obligations of Law 52 of 2016:<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>It is established that legal entities that do not carry out operations that are perfected, consumed or have their effects within the Republic of Panama are required to keep accounting records and supporting documentation, which must be available for a period of not less than five years Counted from:\n<ul>\n<li>Last day of the calendar year within which the transactions for which these records are applied have been completed; or<\/li>\n<li>Last day of the calendar year in which the legal person ceases its operations.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Such accounting records and supporting documentation must be maintained in the offices of the resident agent of the legal entity, or in any other place determined by its administrative bodies. I understand by means of documentation of support the contracts, invoices, receipts or any document that supports the transactions carried out by the juridical person.<\/li>\n<li>In the event that accounting records and supporting documentation are not maintained at the resident agent&#8217;s office, the following must be provided to the resident agent in writing:<br \/>\nI. Physical address where accounting records and supporting documentation are maintained; Y<br \/>\nIi. Name and contact details of the person who keeps them in their custody.<br \/>\nThe resident agent must also be informed in writing of any changes in the physical address or contact information, within a period of no more than 15 working days, counted from the date on which the change was approved.<\/li>\n<li>In the event that accounting records and supporting documentation are kept outside the Republic of Panama, the legal entity shall be obliged to provide such documents to the resident agent, upon the request of any authority, within a period of no more than 15 days Working days from notification of the request to the resident agent.<\/li>\n<li>Failure to provide such documentation within the stipulated period, the resident agent will be obliged to resign as such, within a maximum period of 10 business days, counted from the day following the end of the deadline indicated to deliver the required documentation.<\/li>\n<li>If the agent residing in the Public Registry of Panama does not register his resignation within the established period of 10 days, the General Directorate of Revenue will impose a sanction of B \/ 500.00 and will order the Public Registry to definitively remove said resident agent from the person Legal basis.<\/li>\n<li>The resident agent is obliged to keep legal entities that do not perform operations that are perfected consumed or have their effects in Panama, a registry of the place where legal persons maintain accounting records and supporting documentation in case they are kept in a place other than the resident agent&#8217;s office, including:<br \/>\nI. Name of legal entity<br \/>\nIi. Physical address where the accounting records and backup documentation are located.<br \/>\nIii. Name of the person keeping the documents in custody<\/li>\n<li>Equally, the resident agent must keep copies of the records of shares and shareholders of those corporations for which it acts as such.<\/li>\n<li>The legal entity that does not comply with the obligations established in said Law 52 of 2016, will be sanctioned with a fine of B \/. 1,000.00 and a fine of B \/ .100.00 for each day that elapses without remedying the breach.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4>Other Modifications:<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>Article 73 of the Commercial Code was amended to establish that every trader must maintain a Journal and a Major, as well as a Record of Minutes and a Register of Shares or Shareholders or, if applicable, a Register of Quotas or Contributions of Participation Patrimonial or Social.<\/li>\n<li>Article 318-A of the Fiscal Code was amended by establishing the following:\n<ul>\n<li>Failure to pay the single fee in the period in which it is caused will have the effect of not registering in the Public Registry of any corporate act subject to registration and non-issuance of certifications relating to said legal person. Certificates of delinquent legal entities will be issued at the request of a competent authority in order to enforce their rights, always stating that the legal entity is in a delinquent state.<\/li>\n<li>The delinquency of legal entities will not prevent the registration in the Public Registry of unilateral waivers by any member of its administrative bodies or its resident agent.<\/li>\n<li>The Public Registry will suspend corporate rights to legal entities that:<br \/>\nI. Remain without designating a resident agent for a period greater than 90 calendar days after the waiver, removal or termination of your former resident agent.<br \/>\nIi. They incur in single rate delinquency for a period of 3 consecutive years.<br \/>\nIii. They are delinquent in the payment of some fine or imposed penalty and duly executed, upon the order of a competent authority.<\/li>\n<li>The registration in the Public Registry of the suspension of corporate rights of a legal person will have the following effects:\n<ul>\n<li>Impossibility to start legal processes, to carry out their assets, to make claims or exercise any right or to carry out corporate action that is binding for the legal entity.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>However, the legal entity may:\n<ul>\n<li>Make your request for activation<\/li>\n<li>Management of theft of any process<\/li>\n<li>Continue legal proceedings against the members of the court before the date of suspension.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Once the legal entity&#8217;s suspension is registered in the public registry, the legal entity will have a period of 2 years to be reactivated. Whoever requests the reactivation must pay a fine of B \/ .1,000.00 and correct the grounds that gave rise to said suspension.<\/li>\n<li>After 2 years without the reactivation of the legal entity, the Public Registry will proceed with the definitive cancellation of the same. Once the legal entity is dissolved, it will initiate the process of liquidation of the legal entity in accordance with the provisions of the Law.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Article 9-A was added to Act 2 of 2011 establishing that the Certification of the resident agent should be issued when legal entities decide to change it from resident agent status. Additionally, it is indicated that public notaries should not close the Deed without the certification of the resident agent.<\/li>\n<li>A paragraph was also added to article 10 of Law 2 of 2011, stating that resident agents may at any time resign from the respective corporation without obligation to pay any registration or qualification fee for registration in the public registry and expenses Of Public Deed, when under oath of gravity state that the required communication with the shareholders has been lost or when they have not received payment of their resident agent fees for 3 consecutive years.<\/li>\n<li>Article 21 of Law 47 of 2011 was amended, thus providing that in cases where the owner of shares issued to the bearer has not delivered the certificate of bearer shares in custody, political rights will be canceled by mandate of Law And economic consequences inherent in such action.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><!--:--><!--:es--><\/p>\n<h4>Principales Obligaciones de la Ley 52 de 2016:<\/h4>\n<p>\uf0b7 Se establece que las personas juri\u0301dicas que no realicen operaciones que se perfeccionen, consuman o surtan sus efectos dentro de la Repu\u0301blica de Panama\u0301 esta\u0301n obligadas a llevar registros contables y documentacio\u0301n de respaldo, los cuales deben estar disponibles por un periodo no menor a cinco an\u0303os contados a partir de:<br \/>\no U\u0301ltimo di\u0301a del an\u0303o calendario dentro del cual las transacciones para las que aplican estos registros fueron completadas; o<br \/>\no U\u0301ltimo di\u0301a del an\u0303o calendario en el cual la persona juri\u0301dica cese sus operaciones.<br \/>\n\uf0b7 Dichos registros contables y documentacio\u0301n de respaldo debe mantenerse en las oficinas del agente residente de la persona juri\u0301dica, o en cualquier otro lugar que determinen sus organismos de administracio\u0301n. Se entiendo por documentacio\u0301n de respaldo los contratos, facturas, recibos o cualquier documento que sustente las transacciones realizadas por la persona juri\u0301dica.<br \/>\n\uf0b7 En caso en que no se mantengan los registros contables y la documentacio\u0301n de respaldo en las oficinas del agente residente, se le debera\u0301 proporcionar al mismo, por escrito, lo siguiente:<br \/>\ni. Direccio\u0301n fi\u0301sica donde se mantienen los registros contables y documentacio\u0301n respaldo; y<br \/>\nii. Nombre y datos de contacto de la persona que los mantiene bajo su custodia.<br \/>\nIgualmente se debera\u0301 informar por escrito al agente residente de cualquier cambio en la direccio\u0301n fi\u0301sica o informacio\u0301n de contacto, en un periodo no mayor de 15 di\u0301as ha\u0301biles, contados a partir de la fecha en que se aprobo\u0301 el cambio.<br \/>\n\uf0b7 En el supuesto en que los registros contables y la documentacio\u0301n de respaldo se mantengan fuera de la Repu\u0301blica de Panama\u0301, la persona juri\u0301dica estara\u0301 obligada a proporcionar dichos documentos al agente residente, previo requerimiento de cualquier autoridad, en un periodo no mayor a 15 di\u0301as ha\u0301biles contados a partir de la notificacio\u0301n del requerimiento al agente residente.<br \/>\n\uf0b7 De no proporcionar dicha documentacio\u0301n en el plazo estipulado, el agente residente estara\u0301 obligado a renunciar como tal, en un plazo no mayor de 10 di\u0301as ha\u0301biles, contados a partir del di\u0301a siguiente de terminacio\u0301n del plazo indicado para entregar la documentacio\u0301n requerida.<br \/>\n\uf0b7 De no inscribir el agente residente en el Registro Pu\u0301blico de Panama\u0301 su renuncia en el plazo de 10 di\u0301as establecido, la Direccio\u0301n General de Ingresos impondra\u0301 una sancio\u0301n de B\/500.00 y ordenara\u0301 al Registro Pu\u0301blico la remocio\u0301n definitiva de dicho agente residente de la persona juri\u0301dica.<br \/>\n\uf0b7 El agente residente esta\u0301 obligado a mantener de las personas juri\u0301dicas que no realicen operaciones que se perfeccionen consuman o surtan sus efectos en Panama\u0301, un registro del lugar donde las personas juri\u0301dicas mantienen los registros contables y la documentacio\u0301n de respaldo en caso de que se mantengan en un lugar distinto a la oficina del agente residente, incluyendo:<br \/>\ni. Nombre de a persona juri\u0301dica<br \/>\nii. Direccio\u0301n fi\u0301sica donde se encuentren los registros contables y la documentacio\u0301n de respaldo.<br \/>\niii. Nombre de la persona que mantiene bajo su custodia los documentos<br \/>\n\uf0b7 Igualmente el agente residente debera\u0301 mantener copias de los registros de acciones y accionistas de aquellas sociedades ano\u0301nimas para las cuales actu\u0301e como tal.<br \/>\n\uf0b7 La persona juri\u0301dica que no cumpla con las obligaciones establecidas en dicha Ley 52 de 2016, sera\u0301 sancionadas con multa de B\/. 1,000.00 y multa de B\/.100.00 por cada di\u0301a que transcurra sin que se subsane el incumplimiento.<br \/>\nOtras Modificaciones:<br \/>\n\uf0b7 Se modifico\u0301 el arti\u0301culo 73 del Co\u0301digo de Comercio donde se establece que todo comerciante debe mantener un Diario y un Mayor, asi\u0301 como un Registro de Actas y un Registro de Acciones o Accionistas o en su caso un Registro de las Cuotas o Aportes de Participacio\u0301n Patrimonial o Social.<br \/>\n\uf0b7 Se modifico\u0301 el arti\u0301culo 318-A del Co\u0301digo Fiscal estableciendo lo siguiente:<br \/>\no La falta de pago de la tasa u\u0301nica en el periodo en que se cause tendra\u0301 como efecto la no inscripcio\u0301n en el Registro Pu\u0301blico de ningu\u0301n acto corporativo objeto de inscripcio\u0301n y la no expedicio\u0301n de certificaciones relativas a dicha persona juri\u0301dica. Se emitira\u0301n certificaciones de personas juri\u0301dicas morosas a solicitud de una autoridad competente con el objeto de hacer valer sus derechos, siempre indicando que la persona juri\u0301dica se encuentra en estado de morosidad.<br \/>\no La morosidad de las personas juri\u0301dicas no evitara\u0301 la inscripcio\u0301n en el Registro Pu\u0301blico de las renuncias unilaterales por parte de cualquier miembro de sus organismos de administracio\u0301n o de su agente residente.<br \/>\no El Registro Pu\u0301blico suspendera\u0301 los derechos corporativos a las personas juri\u0301dicas que:<br \/>\ni. Permanezcan sin designar un agente residente por un periodo mayor a 90 di\u0301as calendario luego de la renuncia, remocio\u0301n o terminacio\u0301n de su agente residente anterior.<br \/>\nii. Incurran en morosidad de la tasa u\u0301nica por un periodo de 3 an\u0303os consecutivos.<br \/>\niii. Se encuentren morosos en el pago de alguna multa o sancio\u0301n impuesta y debidamente ejecutoriada, previa orden de una autoridad competente.<br \/>\no La inscripcio\u0301n en el Registro Pu\u0301blico de la suspensio\u0301n de derechos corporativos de una persona juri\u0301dica tendra\u0301 los siguientes efectos:<br \/>\n\uf0a7 Imposibilidaddeiniciarprocesoslegales,realizarnegocioso disponer de sus activos, hacer reclamos o ejercer algu\u0301n derecho o de realizar actuacio\u0301n corporativa que resulte obligante para la persona juri\u0301dica.<br \/>\no No obstante, la persona juri\u0301dica podra\u0301:<br \/>\n\uf0a7 Hacerunasolicituddereactivacio\u0301n<br \/>\n\uf0a7 Gestionarladefensadecualquierprocesoensucontra<br \/>\n\uf0a7 Continuarprocesoslegalesinstituidosensunombreantes de la fecha de suspensio\u0301n.<br \/>\no Una vez inscrita la suspensio\u0301n de la persona juri\u0301dica en el registro pu\u0301blico, la persona juri\u0301dica contara\u0301 con un plazo de 2 an\u0303os para ser reactivada. Quien solicite la reactivacio\u0301n debera\u0301 pagar una multa de B\/.1,000.00 y subsanar las causales que dieron origen a dicha suspensio\u0301n.<br \/>\no Pasados los 2 an\u0303os sin que se haga la reactivacio\u0301n de la persona juri\u0301dica, el Registro Pu\u0301blico procedera\u0301 con la cancelacio\u0301n definitiva de la misma. Una vez disuelta la persona juri\u0301dica, iniciara\u0301 el proceso de liquidacio\u0301n de la persona juri\u0301dica de conformidad con lo dispuesto en la Ley.<br \/>\n\uf0b7 Se adiciono\u0301 el arti\u0301culo 9-A a la Ley 2 de 2011 estableciendo que la Certificacio\u0301n del agente residente debera\u0301 ser emitida cuando las personas juri\u0301dicas decidan cambiarlo de la condicio\u0301n de agente residente. Adicionalmente, se indica que los notarios pu\u0301blicos no debera\u0301n cerrar la Escritura sin que conste la certificacio\u0301n del agente residente.<br \/>\n\uf0b7 Igualmente se adiciono\u0301 un pa\u0301rrafo al arti\u0301culo 10 de la Ley 2 de 2011, estableciendo que los agentes residentes podra\u0301n renunciar en cualquier momento a la respectiva sociedad ano\u0301nima sin obligacio\u0301n de pagar ningu\u0301n derecho de registro o calificacio\u0301n por la inscripcio\u0301n en el registro pu\u0301blico y gastos de Escritura Pu\u0301blica, cuando bajo la gravedad de juramento expresen que se ha perdido la comunicacio\u0301n requerida con los accionistas o cuando no hayan recibido el pago de sus honorarios de agente residente por 3 an\u0303os consecutivos.<br \/>\n\uf0b7 Fue modificado el arti\u0301culo 21 de la Ley 47 de 2011, estableciendo asi\u0301 que en los casos en que el propietario de acciones emitidas al portador no haya entregado en custodia el certificado de acciones al portador, se entendera\u0301n cancelados por mandato de Ley los derechos poli\u0301ticos y econo\u0301micos inherentes a dicha accio\u0301n.<!--:--><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Main Obligations of Law 52 of 2016: It is established that legal entities that do not carry out operations that are perfected, consumed or have their effects within the Republic&hellip;<\/p>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[211,206,214],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1593","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-latest-news","category-sin-categoria","category-williams-law"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/williamslawpanama.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1593","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/williamslawpanama.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/williamslawpanama.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/williamslawpanama.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/williamslawpanama.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1593"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/williamslawpanama.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1593\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/williamslawpanama.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1593"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/williamslawpanama.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1593"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/williamslawpanama.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1593"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}