Company formation is mainly associated with a tedious and complicated procedure with a lot of paperwork. The biggest problem is that the procedure can be time-consuming. However, since we live in a world of modernization, and continuous technology improvement, does it always have to be that way?
Opening an entrepreneurial agency is now a simplified procedure. An additional facility was introduced with the electronic submission of the request for registration of entrepreneurs.
Since the beginning of 2018, a novelty related to the procedure of opening a company has been introduced. The main goal is to introduce and develop a system that contains no direct administration. Natural persons who are planning to establish entrepreneurial agencies can now undertake the incorporation procedure faster and in a more economical way. That is possible due to the ability to submit the electronic registration for incorporation of entrepreneurial agencies.
In 2018 and 2019, Amendments to the Companies Law, introducedelectronic registration, firstly only for single-member Limited Liability Company (LLC). After that, it was enabled for the LLC with more members The novelty contributed to the simplification of the whole process of establishing legal entities in the Republic of Serbia.
Furthermore, during the year 2023, digitalization was completely embraced. The request for the incorporation of an entrepreneurial agency can be submitted only and exclusively electronically. The same principle is accepted for the incorporation of LLCs, regardless of the number of members.
What do you need for online entrepreneur registration?
To submit a registration application, you need to create a user account in the Centralized Registration System, at the Serbian Business Registers Agency (hereinafter: the SBRA). After creating the account, you will be able to access the portal where the e-registration form, for incorporation of entrepreneurial agency is located. Also, you need to have a payment card like Visa or Master Card to be able to make an electronic payment. The application will be considered as submitted only after the administrative fee for registration is paid, via payment card.
Apart from being able to register the entrepreneurial agency, entrepreneurs are allowed to submit applications for change of the agency’s data before the SBRA (such as change of the registered seat address), as well as for closing the entity.
The last but not the least requirement for opening an agency in this way is to have a qualified electronic certificate. It is important to highlight that the same qualified electronic signature has to be used for accessing the account, notarizing the documents needed for the procedure, and signing the application form for registration.
Upon processing the request, the SBRA electronically communicates. The Decision on the incorporation of the entrepreneur, or the decision on rejection of the application is sent to the official email address of the entrepreneur. The SBRA’s decision is signed by a qualified electronic signature of the registry and supplied with a time stamp.
This completes the registration process and all that remains for a newly established entrepreneur is to start performing the prevailing business activity, determined in the registration process.
Although the Decision on the incorporation of entrepreneurs is in the form of an electronic document, banks, state authorities, and other institutions have to accept the Decision in the electronic version. Of course, following the entrepreneur’s request, the SBRA can issue the paper version of the document, but this action is charged with additional government fees.
An additional advantage for entrepreneurs is the ability to automatically notarize the validity of the health insurance cards.
At first, it was enabled only for certain groups of insured persons – employees and their family members, children up to 18, or up to 26 years of age if they are enrolled in school, members of the Roma national community, monks, nuns, and victims of violence.
At the end of February 2018, this possibility was extended to the remaining categories of insured persons, including entrepreneurs.
The notarization of health insurance cards in this way is provided to insured persons who regularly pay their contributions for compulsory health insurance. The Tax Administration directly submits to the National Health Insurance Fund this information, without the need for waiting at counters, submitting a request for issuing certificates, and wasting time on this procedure.
Health insurance beneficiaries will be able to check whether their health insurance cards are notarized and valid on the website of the National Health Insurance Fund. It is mandatory to insert the number of the health insurance card and personal number of the insured person and the information about the validity will be immediately shown.
