Juriidilised

Juriidilised isikud, commonly referred to as juridical persons in English, are entities that the law recognizes as having legal personality distinct from their members. The term juriidiline isik is used in Estonian law to describe organizations such as companies, associations, and foundations that can acquire rights, assume obligations, own property, sign contracts, and participate in legal proceedings independently of the people who establish or belong to them. This concept is distinguished from natural persons (füüsilised isikud), who are human beings with rights and duties from birth.

In Estonia, the main forms of juridical persons include private limited companies (osaühing, OÜ), joint-stock companies (aktsiaselts, AS), foundations (sihtasutus), and non-profit associations (mittetulundusühing, MTÜ). Each form has its own rules regarding governance, liability, and purposes. Generally, a juridical person bears rights and responsibilities separate from its founders, members, or shareholders, and its liability is limited to the assets of the entity unless otherwise provided by law or the founding documents.

Creation and operation require registration in the Äriregister (Commercial Register) managed by the Centre of Registers and Information Systems. The founding documents—articles of association for companies, or statutes for associations and foundations—define the entity’s purpose, structure, and governance. After registration, the entity may own property, enter into contracts, hire employees, and engage in activities aligned with its objectives, while complying with applicable laws, reporting obligations, and taxation.