这些决议都是在公司会议上作出的决定的正式名称。一般来说,公司股东/成员(shareholders/members)有权在公司的年度股东大会(Annual General Meeting)或临时股东大会(Extraordinary General Meeting)上就决议进行表决,决定公司下一步的动向。但这些决议又各不相同:
Ordinary resolution普通决议是指股东会对公司的普通事项,仅需出席会议的股东所持表决权的半数即可通过的决议;如以邮寄等方式寄送表决票进行表决,其是指以3/4或75%的压倒多数通过的决议,由于此种表决结果按规定仍等同经半数亲自出席或代理出席大会的股东之表决结果,故其仍然称为“普通决议”。An Ordinary Resolution handles the standard actions typically associated with running a business. In effect this covers the normal things a business would need to do, e.g. vote on giving people new shares, changing a director, making a small investment like office materials or a revamp. This ordinary resolution type needs a simple majority under the Companies Act 2014, that is to say above 50% of the members are required to sign. 普通决议适用于法定普通事项,例如董事、监察人的选任、解任及其报酬的确定,董事会所作会计表册的批准,公司盈余及股息、红利的分派,进行清算时清算人的选任、解任及其报酬的确定、检査人的选任以及清算人提交的各项表册的批准等。
Extraordinary resolution 临时决议,指由亲自出席大会的股东以2/3多数通过的决议;如章程允许代理出席,则指由亲自和代理出席的股东以3/4压倒多数通过的决议。表决extraordinary resolution的大会须提前通知,但法律对此并无明确的时间规定。In business or commercial law, an extraordinary resolution is a resolution passed by the shareholders of a company by a greater majority than is required to pass an ordinary resolution.
特别决议,是指股东会对公司的特别事项,以绝对多数通过的决议。依各国法律规定,对于公司的法定特别事项,如以分派股息、红利的全部或一部发行新股,变更章程,增减资本,许可董事的竞业行为,公司的解散与合并,缔结变更或终止有关出租全部营业的契约,为更新设备或变更营业计划转让全部或主要部分公司营业财产,对公司营运有重大影响的受让他人全部营业或财产等,均须符合法律特别规定的表决权要求始可通过。A Special Resolution is, as the name suggests, for special or uncommon decisions a company takes. Things like a Change of Constitution or Name, Large Capital Investment or changing the share structure of a business would require a special resolution. The rules under the Companies Act 2014 specify that the special resolution requires the signature of more than 75% of voting members in order to be put in place.
总之,一般而言,ordinary resolution有关的事项为一般事项,extraordinary resolution相关的事项比较重要,而special resolution的事项最重要,可能会涉及到修改公司章程等。
(参考文献:宋雷《法律术语翻译要略》)