Starting a startup is not only an exciting business venture but also a legal challenge. To ensure your business is successful and sustainable in the long run, it is important to understand the basic legal steps involved, including choosing the right legal structure, protecting your name, and securing other essential elements. This article will focus on the first steps you take when you decide to establish a startup in Serbia. We will cover the process of selecting and reserving a name, the founding act, registration with the Serbian Business Registers Agency (BRA), and the steps that follow both after registering with APR and with other state authorities. This text will address the legal regulations and opportunities that exist in the startup founding phase in Serbia.

CHOOSING THE LEGAL STRUCTURE

The first thing you need to consider is choosing the most appropriate legal structure that will suit your needs. The choice of legal structure has a significant impact on how the business is managed, the founders' liability, taxes, and growth opportunities. It is advisable not to simply adopt a "copy-paste" model from someone around you. Why? Although it may seem like we want to follow a similar or identical entrepreneurial path as someone from our close environment, or that the choice of legal structure is not important, it is actually crucial. Not everyone starts from the same position, we don’t all have the same resources, business plans, or goals, we don’t all operate in the same niches, nor do we target the same customer groups, and we don’t all have the same ideas for growing the startup, etc.

Osim toga, neretko su nedostupne i informacije o svim mogućim opcijama za odabir pravne forme pa i modela oporezivanja koji ćemo koristiti. Osnovne resurse sa kojima počinjemo svoj preduzetnički put, kao i prve resurse koje dobijamo dok ne razvijemo svoju startup treba iskoristiti što optimalnije i potruditi se da sa što manje resursa dobijemo što više benefita. Jedan od načina da se to postigne jeste i adekvatna pravna  forma. Više o pravnim formama možete pronaći u mom ranijem blogu WHAT TYPE OF 'COMPANY' DO YOU NEED TO CONDUCT BUSINESS?

CHOOSING AND RESERVING A NAME

Choosing and protecting your startup's name

The name of your startup is the first point of contact with the market and is crucial for recognition and differentiation. However, simply choosing a name is not enough – you must ensure its legal protection.

The first step is to register the company name with the Serbian Business Registers Agency (BRA). The name must be unique and should not overlap with existing companies in the same industry to avoid confusion. It is also recommended that the name be easy to remember and reflect the mission and values of the company. The business name must include the name, legal form (e.g., ent, llc, plc, lp, gp), and the headquarters of the startup. Keep in mind that your product and the name of your company do not have to be the same.

Reservation of the startup's business name

1. Checking name availability: Before choosing a name, make sure it is not already registered by another company.

2. Submitting a request for business name reservation: A request for business name reservation is submitted to the BRA (Serbian Business Registers Agency), with the reservation valid for up to 60 days. The documentation required includes only the completed application form and proof of payment for the fee, which is 1,100.00 RSD. After the 60-day period expires, the reservation can be extended for another 60 days following the same procedure as the first time.

The founding act and key elements of the registration application to the APR

Sedište startup-a

Sedište startup-a je adresa na kojoj se registrujete i to ne mora biti adresa poslovnog prostora.

Odlučite na koje vreme osnivate startap.

There are two options – to establish a startup for an indefinite period or for a fixed period. If you choose to establish a startup for a fixed period, you must specify the exact date or event, goal, or similar time-related criterion.

Pronađite pretežnu delatnost kojom će se startap baviti

Sve delatnosti koje postoje u našoj zemlji su regulisane Bylaws on the classification of activities u okviru koje ćete moći da pronađete oblast i šifru pod koju potpada vaša delatnost. Vi u svom osnivačkom aktu i registracinoj prijavi, odnosno APR registru možete registrovati samo jednu PRETEŽNU delatnost. To znači da registrujete delatnost kojom ćete se uglavnom odnosno pretežno baviti. Ali, to ne znači da su Vam druge delatnosti zabranjene. Možete obavljati i druge delatnosti, one se ne registruju.

Medjutim, ako se promeni Vaš pravac poslovanja pa neka druga delatnost zauzme primarno mesto, neophodno je izvršiti promenu pretežne delatnosti u APR. Bitno je napomenuti i to da pre svake registracije pretežne delatnosti proverite, da li je potrebno dobiti odredjene sertifikate ili licence za bavljenje nekom delatnošću. Sve to obavezni ste da dostavite APR uz prijavu. Takodje, ako neku delatnost obavljate kao sporednu, za nju važe ista pravila kao i za pretežnu delatnost, ni sporedne delatnosti se ne smeju obavljati bez potrebnih licenci. Iako se sporedne delatnosti ne registruju, to Vas ne oslobadja obaveze da imate sve potrebne licence/sertifikate i dokumentaciju za obavljanje tih delatnosti.

Odaberite oblik upravljanja startup-om

This refers to the structure of the company you are founding. If it is a company with multiple members, the General Assembly is the primary governing body; it is implied and consists of all the members of the company. A General Assembly does not exist in a sole proprietorship or a single-member company (LLC, JSC), but in all other types of companies, the General Assembly serves as the governing body that makes all major decisions, in accordance with the powers granted by the Company Law, the founding act, or other internal documents of the company. Setting the General Assembly aside for now, a startup can have two types of management – it can have only directors, or it can also have a supervisory board. For a startup, it is easiest at the beginning to have only directors.

Odabir zakonskog zastupnika startup-a

Direktor je najčešće ujedno i zakonski zastupnik, on potpisuje sve odluke, ugovore i predstavlja startap. Medjutim, to nije obavezno da bude tako. Zakonski zastupnik može imenovati i drugo lice kao direktora, radi lakšeg upravljanja, i dati mu odredjeni krug ovlašćenja. Treba naglasiti i to da više osoba može istovremeno obavljati funkciju zakonskog zastupnika ili direktora, sa tim da se u osnivačkom aktu i registracionoj prijavi mora naglasiti da li postoje odredjena ograničenja u donošenju odluka medju većim brojem zakonskih zastupnika ili direktora i koja su to ovlašćenja.

Osim toga, postoji i opcija tzv “supotpisa” odnosno da sve odluke moraju biti donešene zajednički odnosno moraju biti potpisane od strane svih zakonskih zastupnika ili direktora. Kada govorimo o supotpisu treba napomenuti i mogućnost da u slučaju sprečenosti nekog od direktora/zakonskih zastupnika da odobri i potpiše neki posao može se predvideti vid prethodnog ili naknadnog odobrenja.

Iako na prvi mah konfuzno za nekoga ko tek osniva startup, ove mogućnosti su jako bitne, ali i jako korisne, jer stvaraju mogućnost da kreirate model odlučivanja spram Vaših potreba, i otvara mogućnost planiranja strukrute i načina rada kojim ćete biti obezbedjeni na duži vremenski period. Nebrojano je slučajeva kada se naknadno u toku rada direktori, osnivači, članovi i uprava firme nadju u situaciji da ne znaju kako da organizuju donošenje i potpisivanje odluka, što se neretko javlja I kao neki banalni praktični problem za koji nema rešenja u osnivačkom aktu jer to nije predvidjeno. Uvek je preporuka da na samom početku, dok još niste zaokupirani svojim primarnim poslom, postavite dobre i dugoročno održive temelje kroz donošenje sveobuhvatnog osnivačkog akta.

Osnivački kapital

On nije obavezan za sve vrste firmi, a ujedno se i razlikuje u zavisnosti od pravne forme firme koju osnivate. Obavezan je za DOO (100 dinara) i AD (zavisi od delatnosti – osnovni minimalni iznos je 3.000.000,00 dinara ali može biti i manji i veći minimalni iznos u zavisnosti od delatnosti), dok za ostale oblike nije obavezan. Međutim, bio on obavezan ili ne, ukoliko unosite osnivački kapital, bio on u novcu ili nenočanom obliku, on može biti unet i odmah prilikom osnivanja startup-a, ali i naknadno. Ukoliko unosite osnivački kapital naknadno potrebno je da u osnivačkom aktu navedete u kom roku ćete ga uneti, a najduži zakonski rok je 5 godina od osnivanja startupa.

All of the above must be included in the founding act, as the basic document required for establishing the startup. The founding act must be notarized. In addition to the founding act, other relevant documentation must be attached, depending on the legal form of the startup you are establishing. It is also necessary to pay the registration fee and provide proof of payment. Additionally, if you authorize another person to submit the registration application, their authorization must also be attached.

Don't forget that, in order to complete the registration process, it is also necessary to register the beneficial owners with the APR; this is a separate online application.

STEPS AFTER REGISTRATION WITH THE BRA

Otvorite račun u banci

Pre otvaranja računa dobro se raspitajte koja je banka nudi povoljnije naknade. Takodje, treba se raspitati da li Vaš paket ima sve usluge koje su van potrebne i pod kojim uslovima. Kada se odlučite za odredjenu banku neophodno je poneti rešenje APR o izvršenoj registraciji i ličnu kartu. Razmislite i to tome koja će lica biti na depo kartonu, to su lica koja imaju ovlašćenja na računu/ima. Takođe, ako odličite da se opredelite za korišćenje pečata u banci, sva dokumentacija će nadalje morati biti overena pečatom firme.

Register with the Tax Administration after registering with the BRA.-

Prilikom popunjavanja APR prijave imate odeljak vezan za poresku prijavu. Poreska uprava umrežena je sa APR, pa APR automatski podnosi prijavu za Vas u Poreskoj upravi. Medjutim, moraćete da napravite nalog na „ePorezi“ aplikaciji jer će Vam tu stizati sva poreska rešenja namenjana Vama. Osim toga, tu ćete i podnositi većinu poreskih prijava, po potrebi. Medjutim, ono što je bitno naglasiti je da osnivanjem startup Vi ste kao poreski obaveznik po automatizmu registrovani kao knjigaš. Ukoliko želite buditi preduzetnik paušalac, neophodno je da podnesete prijavu na „ePorezi“ platformi u roku od 5 dana od registracije. Ovo možete učiniti i kasnije ali će se promena računati od datuma kada ste podneli prijavu za promenu. Vrlo brzo će Vam stići rešenje o paušalnom oporezivanju sa svim instrukcijama za uplatu tokom cele te kalendarske godine. Napomena: Za elektronsko podnošenje poreskih prijava potrebno je da imate elektronski potpis, odnosno kvalifikovani sertifikat za elektronski potpis.

Imate kvalifikovani elektronski potpis

A digital signature is required to work with electronic services for the purpose of signing, submitting, and certifying documents electronically. To obtain a digital signature, you must submit a request for the issuance of a qualified certificate for an electronic signature on your ID card with a chip. This request is submitted to the Police Department in the area where the founder’s residence is located, and the electronic signature can be obtained free of charge.

Angažujete računovodstvenu agenciju

If your company keeps books, it is necessary to hire an accountant who will manage the financial aspects of the business. You are also obligated to register the Financial Statements with the BRA. Be sure to insist on having a signed service agreement with your accountant. In case of any damages, the agreement will certainly help and serve as the basis for their responsibility. If you authorize the accountant to submit the financial statements to the BRA, make sure that your accountant is listed on the BRA’s list of certified accountants. Without this license, they will not be able to submit the financial statements, and this could potentially lead to many problems if the reports are not properly prepared.

Conclusion

Starting a startup is a complex process that requires careful planning and an understanding of the legal foundations. Choosing the right legal structure depends on your business goals, the number of founders, and your growth plan. Legal security is the foundation for the successful development and growth of any startup.