---
name: legal-impressum-world
description: International legal notice requirements. UK, Switzerland, USA, and worldwide best practices for multi-jurisdiction websites.
version: 1.0.0
triggers:
  - impressum international
  - legal notice worldwide
  - uk imprint
  - swiss impressum
  - usa website disclosure
---

# International Legal Notice Requirements

> **Jurisdiction:** Worldwide (non-EU focus)
> 
> **Related Skills:**
> - [SKILL.md](./SKILL.md) - Austrian requirements (main skill)
> - [SKILL-GERMANY.md](./SKILL-GERMANY.md) - German requirements
> - [SKILL-EU.md](./SKILL-EU.md) - EU-wide requirements

This skill covers legal notice requirements for websites outside the EU, including UK (post-Brexit), Switzerland, USA, and international best practices.

---

## 1. United Kingdom (Post-Brexit)

### Legal Framework

| Law/Regulation | Scope |
|----------------|-------|
| **Companies Act 2006** (s.82, s.1139) | Company websites |
| **Business Names Act 1985** | Trade names |
| **Electronic Commerce (EC Directive) Regulations 2002** | Still applicable |
| **Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013** | B2C online sales |
| **UK GDPR + DPA 2018** | Privacy requirements |

### Required Information

#### Companies (Ltd, PLC)

| Field | Required |
|-------|----------|
| Company name | ✓ |
| Registered number | ✓ |
| Place of registration (England/Wales, Scotland, NI) | ✓ |
| Registered office address | ✓ |
| VAT number (if applicable) | ✓ |
| Directors (if stated on stationery) | Optional |

#### Sole Traders / Partnerships

| Field | Required |
|-------|----------|
| Owner/partner names | ✓ |
| Business address | ✓ |
| VAT number (if applicable) | ✓ |

### UK Template

```
COMPANY INFORMATION

[Company Name] Limited
Registered in England and Wales
Company Number: [12345678]
Registered Office: [Full Address]

VAT Registration Number: GB [XXX XXXX XX]

Contact:
Email: [email@example.com]
Phone: [+44 XXX XXX XXXX]
```

---

## 2. Switzerland

### Legal Framework

| Law | Scope |
|-----|-------|
| **Art. 961 OR** (Obligationenrecht) | Commercial register disclosure |
| **Art. 954a OR** | Business correspondence requirements |
| **DSG** (Datenschutzgesetz) | Privacy requirements |
| **UWG** | Unfair competition |

### Required Information

| Field | Required |
|-------|----------|
| Company name (exact Firma) | ✓ |
| Legal form (AG, GmbH, etc.) | ✓ |
| Registered seat (Sitz) | ✓ |
| Commercial register entry (CHE-Nr.) | ✓ |
| MWST/TVA number (if applicable) | ✓ |
| Address | ✓ |
| Contact (email/phone) | Recommended |

### Swiss Rechtsformen

| Form | German | French | Italian |
|------|--------|--------|---------|
| AG | Aktiengesellschaft | SA | SA |
| GmbH | Ges. m.b.H. | Sàrl | Sagl |
| Einzelfirma | Einzelunternehmen | Entreprise individuelle | Ditta individuale |
| KlG | Kollektivgesellschaft | SNC | SNC |
| KmG | Kommanditgesellschaft | SC | SAc |
| Genossenschaft | Genossenschaft | Coopérative | Cooperativa |

### Swiss Template

```
IMPRESSUM

[Firma] AG
[Strasse Nr.]
CH-[PLZ] [Ort]
Schweiz

Handelsregister: [Kanton]
CHE-[XXX.XXX.XXX]
MWST-Nr: CHE-[XXX.XXX.XXX] MWST

Kontakt:
Tel: +41 [XX XXX XX XX]
E-Mail: [info@beispiel.ch]
```

---

## 3. United States

### Legal Framework

The US has **no federal Impressum requirement** equivalent to EU/DACH regions. However:

| Requirement | Scope |
|-------------|-------|
| **CAN-SPAM Act** | Commercial emails |
| **CCPA/CPRA** (California) | Privacy for CA residents |
| **State business registration** | Varies by state |
| **FTC regulations** | Advertising disclosure |

### Recommended Disclosures

While not legally mandated like in DACH/EU, best practices include:

| Field | Reason |
|-------|--------|
| Business name | Trust, legal clarity |
| Physical address | CAN-SPAM, credibility |
| Contact email/phone | Customer service, trust |
| State of incorporation | Legal clarity for LLCs/Corps |
| Privacy policy link | CCPA, state laws |

### California-Specific (CCPA/CPRA)

Required for businesses with CA customers:
- "Do Not Sell My Personal Information" link
- Privacy policy with specific disclosures
- Contact method for privacy requests

### US Template (LLC Example)

```
COMPANY INFORMATION

[Company Name], LLC
A [State] Limited Liability Company

Mailing Address:
[Street Address]
[City], [State] [ZIP]
United States

Contact:
Email: [email@example.com]
Phone: [+1 (XXX) XXX-XXXX]

Privacy: See our Privacy Policy
```

---

## 4. Other Countries

### Canada

| Requirement | Law |
|-------------|-----|
| Business registration | Provincial |
| CASL (anti-spam) | Contact info in emails |
| PIPEDA | Privacy requirements |

### Australia

| Requirement | Law |
|-------------|-----|
| ABN (Australian Business Number) | Tax/business |
| ACN (Australian Company Number) | Companies |
| Privacy Act 1988 | Privacy requirements |

### Brazil

| Requirement | Law |
|-------------|-----|
| CNPJ (Tax ID) | Required on website |
| LGPD | Privacy requirements |

### China

| Requirement | Notes |
|-------------|-------|
| ICP License number | Required for hosting in China |
| Business license info | Required |

---

## 5. Multi-Jurisdiction Strategy

### Approach for International Websites

```
┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐
│        Website Serves Multiple          │
│              Jurisdictions              │
├─────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                         │
│  Option 1: COMPREHENSIVE                │
│  ─────────────────────────             │
│  Include all disclosures that          │
│  would be required in strictest        │
│  jurisdictions (DE/AT)                 │
│                                         │
│  Option 2: SEGMENTED                    │
│  ─────────────────────                 │
│  Country-specific legal pages          │
│  (/legal/at, /legal/de, /legal/uk)    │
│                                         │
│  Option 3: MINIMUM + SUPPLEMENTS        │
│  ──────────────────────────────        │
│  Base page + country-specific          │
│  addendums                             │
│                                         │
└─────────────────────────────────────────┘
```

### Recommended: Comprehensive Approach

Include all of:
- Full company identification (name, form, registration)
- Physical address
- Contact (email + phone)
- VAT/Tax ID
- Representatives/directors
- Privacy policy link
- Cookie consent
- ODR link (if EU B2C)
- Professional body info (if regulated)

---

## 6. Language Considerations

| Market | Language Requirement |
|--------|---------------------|
| Austria | German required |
| Germany | German required |
| France | French required (Loi Toubon) |
| Switzerland | Local language + English acceptable |
| UK | English |
| USA | English (typically) |
| Global | English as common denominator |

### Multi-Language Implementation

```
LEGAL NOTICE

[Tab: English] [Tab: Deutsch] [Tab: Français]

Or:

IMPRESSUM / LEGAL NOTICE / MENTIONS LÉGALES

[Combined content in multiple languages]
```

---

## 7. Universal Template (Global Best Practice)

```
LEGAL NOTICE / IMPRESSUM

Company Information:
[Full Legal Name] [Legal Form]
[Street Address]
[Postal Code] [City]
[Country]

Contact:
Phone: [+XX XXX XXX XXXX]
Email: [contact@example.com]

Registration:
[Register Type]: [Registration Authority]
Registration Number: [XXXXXXX]

Tax Information:
VAT/Tax ID: [XXXXXXXXXXXX]

[For corporations:]
Directors/Representatives: [Names]
Share Capital: [Amount] [Currency]

[For regulated professions:]
Professional Body: [Name]
License/Registration: [Number]

Legal:
Privacy Policy: [Link]
Terms of Service: [Link]

[For EU B2C:]
Online Dispute Resolution:
https://ec.europa.eu/consumers/odr/
```

---

## 8. Common Mistakes to Avoid

| Mistake | Why It's a Problem |
|---------|-------------------|
| P.O. Box only | Most jurisdictions require physical address |
| Missing email | Required in EU/DACH |
| Wrong legal form | Must match official registration |
| Outdated information | Must be kept current |
| Hidden/hard to find | Must be easily accessible |
| Missing privacy link | GDPR/CCPA requirements |
| Generic template | Country-specific rules ignored |

---

## 9. Compliance Checklist (Global)

### Universal Requirements

- [ ] Legal business name
- [ ] Physical address
- [ ] Email contact
- [ ] Phone number
- [ ] Privacy policy

### If Incorporated

- [ ] Legal form (Ltd, LLC, GmbH, etc.)
- [ ] Registration number
- [ ] Registration authority/location
- [ ] Representatives/directors

### If VAT/Tax Registered

- [ ] VAT/Tax ID number

### If Regulated Profession

- [ ] Professional body
- [ ] License/registration
- [ ] Professional rules reference

### If B2C in EU

- [ ] ODR platform link
- [ ] Consumer rights information

---

## 10. Resources

- **UK Companies House**: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/companies-house
- **Swiss Commercial Register**: https://www.zefix.ch/
- **US State SOS Offices**: Varies by state
- **WIPO WHOIS**: https://www.wipo.int/
- **International Chamber of Commerce**: https://iccwbo.org/

---

## Credits & Attribution

This skill is part of the webconsulting.at skills collection.

Sources: National government websites, legal databases, industry best practices