Corporate groups have been the subject of much research and debate, but mostly focussing on the position of the controlled company, e.g. the subsidiaries. There has been less focus on the legal position of the parent company in a group and the position of stakeholders in the parent company. To remedy this situation, the article makes a comparative analysis of what duties parent companies have vis-à-vis their subsidiaries. It is shown that national law differs substantially but there is a duty to collect information about the subsidiaries, and a duty to oversee subsidiaries seems to be emerging. On the other hand, there is no duty to actively manage subsidiaries in most of the jurisdictions examined. Subsequently, a comparative analysis is made of the remedies available in national law to protect the interests of stakeholders in the parent companies. Whereas there are several rules on group law which prevent subsidiaries from being used to circumvent regulation aiming to protect stakeholders in the parent company and several rules ensuring transparency about the performance of the group, it is argued that there is a lack of rules ensuring transparency about intra-group transactions and rules ensuring the influence of shareholders in the parent company. Finally, it is argued that the ongoing harmonising of group law in the EU should also include aspects that clarify the position of parent companies in a group.

公司集团一直是许多研究和辩论的主题，但主要集中在受控公司（例如子公司）的地位。对母公司在集团中的法律地位和利益相关者在母公司中的地位的关注较少。为了纠正这种情况，本文对母公司相对于其子公司的职责进行了比较分析。结果表明，国家法律有很大的不同，但是有义务收集有关子公司的信息，而监督子公司的义务似乎正在出现。另一方面，在所审查的大多数辖区中，没有义务积极管理子公司。随后，对国内法中为保护母公司的利益相关者的利益而采取的补救措施进行了比较分析。尽管有一些关于团体法的规则可以防止子公司被用来规避旨在保护母公司利益相关者的法规，但是有一些规则可以确保集团业绩的透明性，但有人认为缺乏确保透明性的规则。集团内部交易和规则，以确保股东在母公司的影响力。最后，有人争辩说，欧盟正在进行的集团法协调工作还应包括阐明母公司在集团中的地位的方面。尽管有一些关于团体法的规则可以防止子公司被用来规避旨在保护母公司利益相关者的法规，但是有一些规则可以确保集团业绩的透明性，但有人认为缺乏确保透明性的规则。集团内部交易和规则，以确保股东在母公司的影响力。最后，有人争辩说，欧盟正在进行的集团法协调工作还应包括阐明母公司在集团中的地位的方面。尽管有一些关于团体法的规则可以防止子公司被用来规避旨在保护母公司利益相关者的法规，但是有一些规则可以确保集团业绩的透明性，但有人认为缺乏确保透明性的规则。集团内部交易和规则，以确保股东在母公司的影响力。最后，有人争辩说，欧盟正在进行的集团法协调工作还应包括阐明母公司在集团中的地位的方面。