Verifying Shareholders for Electronic Participation in General Meetings: Law and Case Studies in Baltic Listed Companies

Abstract To participate electronically in general meetings, shareholders and their representatives must be verified to confirm their identities. Electronic verification remains relevant today as virtual and hybrid meetings of shareholders are widespread across the globe. This article studies shareholders’ electronic verification from the viewpoint of EU company law, domestic laws in the Baltic States, human rights instruments, data protection laws, and other sources; it focuses on three cases of companies from the Baltic States where shareholders were verified for electronic participation between 2021 and 2024. The three cases, from Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, known for their digitalization efforts, are evaluated against the background of regional and domestic laws in those countries. The study reveals that verification spans multiple legal areas and is typically regulated by companies themselves. The paper concludes with recommendations for the more transparent and accessible electronic shareholder participation.