Finland Shareholders' Agreement 2026
Guide to shareholders' agreements covering roles, financing, profit distribution, share transfers, confidentiality, non-compete and dispute resolution.
Short answer
A shareholders' agreement is not a mandatory official founding document of a Finnish limited company and is not registered with the Trade Register. However, Suomi.fi recommends preparing one when there is more than one shareholder. It can regulate division of work and responsibility, financing, profit distribution, share transfers/redemption, confidentiality, non-compete, IP rights, new shareholders, contractual penalties and dispute resolution.
1. What should it cover?
Checklist
- Roles/responsibilities
- Funding obligations
- Profit distribution
- Share transfer/redemption
- Tag/drag where appropriate
- Confidentiality
- Non-compete
- IP ownership
- Deadlock
- Exit/dispute resolution
2. Difference from Articles of Association
The Articles of Association are a public company-law document. A shareholders' agreement is a private contract. They should be drafted consistently to avoid conflicts.
3. Common mistakes
Checklist
- No 50/50 deadlock solution
- No exit-price mechanism
- No working-shareholder obligations
- Unclear IP ownership
- Ignoring death/divorce/incapacity
- Never updating the agreement
Common questions about this topic
Is a shareholders' agreement filed with PRH?
No. It is not registered with the Trade Register.
Official sources
The following official or public sources were checked for this guide. Current authority instructions always take precedence.
Company Administration
Ongoing administrative support for Finnish companies: PRH changes, board documents, compliance calendar and partner coordination.
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