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Joint venture meaning

What does Joint venture mean?
In legal practice, a joint venture is a collaborative arrangement in which two or more parties pool assets, finance, IP or know‑how to carry on a specific project or an ongoing business, sharing control, risks, profits and losses (including equity and revenue where an entity is formed). It is a descriptive term rather than one defined by statute across England & Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland, though used in competition, tax and accounting contexts. Structures commonly include: (i) an incorporated joint venture (usually a private company limited by shares) with rights documented in a shareholders’ agreement and constitution; (ii) a contractual joint venture governed by a joint venture agreement; or (iii) a partnership (and, in the UK, an LLP). Scottish partnerships have separate legal personality; partnerships in England & Wales, Northern Ireland and Ireland generally do not. Key legal features and drafting points include contributions and funding, governance and reserved matters, vetoes and deadlock resolution, profit distribution, transfer and change‑of‑control restrictions, exit mechanisms (put/call, IPO or trade sale), IP ownership/licensing, confidentiality and non‑compete. Regulatory issues may include merger control and joint control analysis, foreign investment and sectoral approvals, procurement rules, subsidy control/state aid, and tax and accounting treatment.
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View the related Checklists about Joint venture

CHECKLISTS
Terminating or exiting joint ventures: practitioner checklist on routes for corporate and unincorporated JVs, including share transfers (tag/drag), expulsion, deadlock, unfair prejudice, winding up and insolvency consequences

This Checklist This Checklist highlights the different avenues for bringing a joint venture (JV) to a close or facilitating an exit, and the factors to weigh depending on the pathway chosen. For guidance on addressing a JV dispute, see Practice Note: Joint venture disputes—how to respond. For further detailed guidance on terminating joint ventures where a specially created or nominated joint venture company (JVC) is involved, see the following Practice Notes: Termination—corporate joint ventures Tax implications of operating and terminating a joint venture company Corporate joint venture dispute—dealing with deadlock: initial considerations Majority-minority joint venture dispute—a practical illustration Entering a JV relationship usually calls for significant planning and effort from the JV parties, who opt to work together for mutual advantage (often by sharing cost, resources and expertise). You will need to assess the full ramifications of ending or exiting the JV, including whether there are sound reasons to be prepared to see that investment lost if the JV is...

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CHECKLISTS
UK joint ventures: counterparty tax due diligence checklist (contractual, partnership and corporate structures; groupings; asset transfers; funding; transfer pricing; VAT and SDLT/LBTT/LTT; losses; degrouping; exit)

This checklist presents core tax queries to raise with a joint venture counterparty. The goal is to identify the principal UK tax considerations that could arise for the remaining joint venture participant(s) and/or any joint venture vehicle, with those potential matters highlighted in the list. It is assumed that the parties are UK tax resident corporate entities and that any joint venture vehicle will also be UK tax resident. The following Practice Notes give further detail on the UK tax issues signposted in this checklist and highlighted in this checklist as follows: The tax consequences of contractual joint ventures The tax consequences of establishing a joint venture partnership The tax consequences of operating and terminating a joint venture partnership The tax consequences of establishing a joint venture company The tax consequences of operating and terminating a joint venture company The tax consequences of international joint ventures The transfer pricing and joint ventures The tax influences on choice of joint venture...

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CHECKLISTS
Admitting a new LLP member: legal, regulatory and practical checklist (UK)

This checklist highlights the principal matters to review when a new individual joins a limited liability partnership (LLP), covering legal, regulatory and practical considerations. Identity of new member Full name and residential or registered address of the incoming member? Confirm the individual is not an undischarged bankrupt and is not prohibited from acting as an LLP member or as a company director. Check whether any current agreements or restrictive covenants (eg employment, LLP, joint venture, finance documents) could limit their ability to join or commit to the LLP. LLP agreement and other documentation What mechanism in the current LLP agreement governs the admission of new members? Will a deed of adherence/accession be required? Are any amendments needed to the terms of the existing LLP agreement? Do any related contracts require variation or consent, eg leases and IP licences?...

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View the related Flowcharts about Joint venture

FLOWCHARTS
FIDIC Silver Book 2017 clause 20.2 claims: Employer and Contractor procedures, notice/time-bar rules, and 20.2.4 differences from Red/Yellow Books – flowchart

Prepared with Anthony Shatz of Fladgate LLP, this flowchart outlines the steps to be taken and the key matters to consider for a transfer of shares in a joint venture company (JVC), where a right of first refusal (ROFR), together with drag along and tag along provisions, appear in the articles of association/shareholders’ agreement...

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FLOWCHARTS
Joint venture deadlock mechanisms: Texas shoot-out (sealed bids), auction variants and Russian roulette hybrid—flowchart

Refer to the flowchart below for a decision pathway clarifying when establishing a joint venture falls under the EU Merger Regulation, outlining scope and applicability...

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FLOWCHARTS
EU Merger Regulation: Joint Venture Formation—Jurisdictional Assessment Flowchart (Decision Tree)

Flowchart This Flowchart explains the cancellation rights that must be offered to consumers who enter into on‑premises, off‑premises or distance contracts for the sale of digital content. It is intended for use when a practitioner needs to confirm the cancellation rights available to consumers purchasing digital content in line with the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013, SI 2013/3134 (CCR 2013). Note 1 — a consumer is an individual acting wholly or mainly for purposes outside their trade, business, craft or profession. Note 2 — certain sector contracts are governed by their own rules, including financial services contracts, rental contracts and package travel contracts, and are completely excluded from the CCR 2013. For more information, see Practice Note: Distance, doorstep and on‑premises sales — Excluded contracts...

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View the related News about Joint venture

NEWS
EU competition law daily: Commission Phase I merger clearances, simplified notifications; Ryanair Reg 1/2003 reference; General Court KRKA/Servier order; calendar (26 January 2026)

Mergers The Commission cleared: Hartree Partners Holdings, LP’s acquisition of exclusive control of Touton S.A. (M.12189), following a phase I investigation—see further in Midday Express the establishment of a joint venture by EVH Grüne Energie – Beteiligung GmbH & Co. KG and HSBC Alternative Investments S.C.A. SICAV-RAIF (M.12240), following a phase I investigation—see further in Midday Express the setting up of a joint venture by RCL Cruises Ltd....

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NEWS
EU merger control daily round-up: DP World/Arcese JV cleared; Deutsche Börse/Lindner/Digital Vault notified; Liberty Media/Dorna timetable extended; Enstall/Schletter decision published (22 January 2025)

Mergers The Commission approved the establishment of a joint venture between DP World Logistics Europe B.V. and Arcese Transporti S.p.A...

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NEWS
EU competition law update (20 March 2026): Commission merger clearances and filings; Merger Brief on Mars/Kellanova; Foreign Subsidies Regulation guidelines; key upcoming dates

Mergers The Commission approved: the establishment of a joint venture between Dalkia SA, Eiffage SA, RATP Solutions Ville SAS, and the City of Paris (M.12214) following a phase I review—see also Midday Express the acquisition by Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. of sole control of Clario Holdings, Inc...

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View the related Practice Notes about Joint venture

PRACTICE NOTES
Joint employment: legal presumption, vicarious liability, agency workers, office‑holders, schools, collective bargaining, TUPE, tax and contractual drafting issues

Quick view This Practice Note explores whether an employee can be engaged by two or more employers for the same role at the same time—joint employment (also termed dual employment or multiple employment). It examines the general assumption, the issue of vicarious liability, and the position of agency workers, office-holders and teachers. It also considers the setting of collective bargaining, the effect of TUPE 2006, and tax questions that may arise. Finally, it reviews the factors relevant to written contracts that involve multiple employers. Joint employment is typically discussed in relation to vicarious liability, for instance negligence (see: Vicarious liability, below). Regarding an individual’s employment rights, it appears reasonably clear that the prevailing presumption—that an employee cannot have more than one employer for the same work at the same time—can be displaced in these situations: where the person has two roles with separate employers and the roles are compatible; and where two or more employers act together within a partnership or joint venture ...

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PRACTICE NOTES
UK tax structuring for cross‑border IP development and acquisition: IFA regime, merged RDEC/ERIS, overseas R&D restrictions, transfer pricing, trading requirement, capital allowances, and patent box nexus

Successive UK governments have aimed to cement the UK as one of the world’s most appealing settings for innovation and enterprise. To that end, a wide-ranging suite of tax incentives has been rolled out to encourage innovative companies, supporting both investors and trading entities, and assisting businesses at every phase of a business’s life cycle. These incentives include: R&D tax reliefs patent box business asset disposal relief (previously entrepreneurs’ relief) capital allowances for purchases of: knowhow patents, and plant and machinery venture capital trusts the enterprise investment scheme, and the seed enterprise investment scheme This Practice Note outlines the UK position on key tax considerations when determining how to structure an innovative business with international or global aspirations. The observations are general in nature and work on the basis of a clean slate; revisiting an existing IP ownership arrangement will inevitably demand a bespoke solution (notably...

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PRACTICE NOTES
UK private corporate joint ventures: drafting and enforcing share transfer restrictions in JVAs and articles—pre-emption, tag/drag, valuation, permitted transfers and procedures

When considering entry into a joint venture, participants should carefully scrutinise the identity of the other intended parties and the experience and resources they expect to bring to the venture. They are, therefore, likely to want to ensure those parties remain engaged in the joint venture (at least for a pre‑agreed period of time) and to retain controls over to whom they may transfer their shares. The nature of any share transfer constraints adopted will also depend on, among other things, the anticipated duration of the joint venture, how the parties propose to realise their investments, the cash‑flow and fundraising requirements of the parties, and any share transfer restrictions contained in other transaction documents, e.g. financing documents. Restrictions on transfer For these reasons, most joint venture agreements (JVA) (also known as shareholders’ agreements) and/or the articles of association will include a series of restrictions governing the transfer of shares by the joint venture parties...

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View the related Precedents about Joint venture

PRECEDENTS
Short-form joint tender teaming agreement with IP, confidentiality, non-circumvention, limitation of liability and anti-bribery/tax evasion/fraud/modern slavery compliance (England and Wales)

This Agreement is entered into on [ date ] Parties [ Insert name of party ] [ of OR a company incorporated in England and Wales under number [ insert registered number ] with its registered office at ] [ insert address ] (Party 1); and [ Insert name of party ] [ of OR a company incorporated in England and Wales under number [ insert registered number ] with its registered office at ] [ insert address ] (Party 2), each of Party 1 and Party 2 being a party and, together, the parties. BACKGROUND Party 1 supplies [ insert description of goods and/or services ]. Party 2 supplies [ insert description of goods and/or services ]. The parties intend to submit a Bid as a joint tender to the Customer in answer to the Invitation to Tender. The parties seek to state their obligations and manage their rights concerning the Bid and, if the...

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PRECEDENTS
Articles of association for a 50:50 individual-shareholder joint venture: A/B shares, equal board control/vetoes, transfer restrictions, compulsory transfers and default buy-out (England and Wales)

1 Model Articles 1.1 The Model Articles shall apply to the Company save to the extent that they are amended or disapplied by these Articles, or where they conflict with these Articles, and, subject to any such amendments, disapplications or inconsistencies, shall, together with these Articles, constitute the Company’s articles of association to the exclusion of any other articles or regulations contained in any statute, in any statutory instrument, or in any other subordinate legislation...

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PRECEDENTS
UK tax and VAT clauses for a 50/50 corporate joint venture: residence, group relief and loss surrender under the CTA 2010

1 Definitions and interpretation 1.1 In this Agreement, and except where the context dictates otherwise, the expressions below shall bear the meanings set out here: Relevant Proportion means, for the purpose of clause, the greatest share of the Company’s [ trading ] losses [ and other amounts eligible for relief from taxation ] that the law permits to be surrendered to the relevant Shareholder (or a member of its Shareholder Group), or, as applicable, the greatest share of the Company’s trading profits against which the Shareholder (or a member of its Shareholder Group) is permitted by law to surrender its [ trading ] losses [ and other amounts eligible for relief from taxation ] ; VAT means United Kingdom value added tax [ and any other tax imposed in substitution for it OR , any other tax imposed in substitution for it and any equivalent or similar tax imposed outside the United Kingdom ] ; 2 Tax matters 2.1 [ The...

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