Special Purpose Companies or Vehicles (the SPCs or SPVs) are temporary companies set up to achieve a precisely structured financial operation. SPCs provide an alternative mode of financing transactions. Put simply they are subsidiary companies of a parent company,
Special Purpose Companies or Vehicles (the SPCs or SPVs) are temporary companies set up to achieve a precisely structured financial operation. SPCs provide an alternative mode of financing transactions. Put simply they are subsidiary companies of a parent company, whose assets are protected from the actions of the parent company. In short, they limit financial risk to the property of the SPC.
Special Purpose Vehicles have played a significant role in the seamless operation of global financial markets. Commercial objectives of corporates, multinationals and institutional, as well as non-institutional investors, could be realized by raising capital, securitizing the assets, risk sharing, tax benefits, and carrying out planned activities. These practical features of special purpose company absolve corporations from the risk element.
SPCs can choose to operate on separate balance sheets than their parent companies (called ‘off-balance sheets’). SPCs provide their shareholder's limited liability. SPVs generally operate on independent balance sheets instead of recording transactions on their parent or holding companies. For this reasons, parties often consider SPVs as off balance sheet vehicles. Firms can use these entities as synthetic lease to possess assets independently and is treated as an expense in revenue statements rather than a liability on company's balance sheet. SPVS are commonly used for following transactions:-
• Securing Projects: - SPCs can help firms secure projects from financial, commercial or operational failures of entity
• Securitizing loans and receivables. SPVs play a significant role in securitizing loans and other receivables. Governments, for instance, set up SPVs to fund their projects in particular sectors and the SPC entity acts as a catalyst to channelize funds for projects in different areas.
• Transfer of Assets: SPCs can safeguard firms in the event of bankruptcy or liquidation given that assets once transferred to SPC they become unidentifiable. That said, courts in many countries have ruled that SPC's assets and funds should be linked to the originating firm. Likewise, assets that are difficult or impossible to transfer (for example, power projects or gas plants), parties can transfer such assets as a self-contained package and thereby avoid undergoing a multitude of compliance and permits.
• Regulatory and Compliance: SPVs can be set up within orphan-like structures thereby preventing regulatory and compliance mandates.
• Financing and Raising Capital: SPCs can be used to finance new projects without increasing costs or altering the shareholding. This aspect makes SPVs an obvious choice to finance aircraft(s), power projects, and infrastructure projects.
The Dubai International Financial Center
In the Dubai International Financial Center (the DIFC), foreign owners are entitled to incorporate SPCs which are used to finance routine transactions. The company which establishes the SPC (the Initiator) is authorized to operate the SPC in the areas of acquisition, granting security interests over assets, financing other SPCs, as well as the parent company, or any other activity approved of in writing at the time of incorporation with the Registrar. These areas of practice are officially known as “exempt activities.” Acting outside the scope of exempt activities subject the SPC to a fine of USD 5,000.
The DIFC itself provides an attractive venue for establishing one's SPC due to its separate regulatory framework, including the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) and Courts. These structures operate on a common law basis, in the English language, providing investors across the globe an easy access point to the Dubai investment market.
SPCs do not have their accounts filed nor audited annually. Also, there is no formal requirement for shareholders to be based physically within the DIFC itself. The Corporate Services Providers (CSP) can act as majority directors and company secretary of the SPC. These CSPs are entitled to receive administration services from third-party management providers and are not required to be appointed directly. However, the majority of directors of the SPC must be employees of the Corporate Service Provider.
It is possible to incorporate SPC as the person(s) (natural or legal) including a shareholder; the CSP; or through any law firm or accounting practice. Incorporation of SPCs in DIFC is carried out per the DIFC Law Number 2 of 2017 (the Companies Law), and the respective Companies Regulation. Formation of SPCs is also possible electronically, by attaching electronic documents submitted within one month of submission. Failure to provide these documents within the one-month time frame subjects the SPC to a fine of USD 2,000.
Incorporation costs are nominal, with the minimum values of shares totaling USD 100. The cost of company formation itself is a mere USD 1,000, with no requirement of obtaining a commercial license. Despite this, SPCs have a limitation in their general scope of action within the meaning of the previously outlined activities. V