Global political crises, volatile interests, inflation and supply chain issues challenge many companies. In this blog series, VISCHER's restructuring & insolvency team will show how companies can navigate through these challenges. Here you will find answers to the most important questions regarding the duties of a director of a Swiss subsidiary.
1. What is the group dilemma and what interests must a Swiss subsidiary's board safeguard?
In this blog article, we present the most important legal amendments in relation to the newly adopted Federal Act on Combating Abusive Bankruptcy.
In March 2022, the Swiss Parliament adopted the Federal Act on Combating Abusive Bankruptcy with the aim of preventing debtors from using bankruptcy proceedings to escape from their financial obligations to the detriment of their creditors or to engage in unfair competition with other companies. For this purpose, various laws and ordinances will be amended and the new law is expected to come into force on January 1, 2024.
The new company law, which will come into force on January 1, 2023, provides for numerous adjustments and innovations regarding capital loss, over-indebtedness and (in)solvency. In this article of our blog series on the new company law, we shed light on what will have to be taken into account.
Monitoring liquidity
What is a debt-restructuring moratorium?
Since 20 April 2020, both the judicial and debt collection pauses have ended. The legal standstill decreed by the Swiss Federal Council in accordance with Art. 62 of the Debt Enforcement and Bankruptcy Act (DEBA) has thus expired. For a business that, despite the emergency aid provided by the Swiss government and the cantons, is still unable to meet its obligations (immediately) but wishes to continue its business activities, the question arises as to how it can obtain creditor protection.
Due to the COVID-19 crisis, many companies in Switzerland could face bankruptcy.
On April 20, 2020, the Swiss (only German) came into force, after an emergency legal freeze ended on April 19, 2020 (see our blog post "Federal Council orders a nationwide stay of debt enforcement proceedings"). However, no end of the corona pandemic is in sight.
The COVID-19 regulation on insolvency law set out the conditions under which COVID-19-related over-indebtedness of the company does not to lead to a declaration of bankruptcy by the board of directors (see our blog post "COVID-19 Deferral of Bankruptcy Filing in Switzerland").
Der Kollokationsplan – Worum geht es?
Ist über einen Schuldner der Konkurs eröffnet worden, muss die Konkursverwaltung die Konkursmasse feststellen. Sie erstellt zu diesem Zweck ein Inventar. Mittels öffentlicher Bekanntmachung werden die Gläubiger und Schuldner des Konkursiten aufgefordert, sich zu melden (sog. Schuldenruf). Die Gläubiger müssen innert eines Monats ihre Forderungen oder sonstigen Ansprüche gegen den Konkursiten der Konkursverwaltung eingeben. Anschliessend erstellt diese ein Forderungsverzeichnis.
Hilfe, meine Daten!
Für viele Unternehmen ist die Auslagerung des Daten-Hostings an einen externen Hosting-Anbieter aus Sicherheits- und Kostengründen attraktiv. Bevor sensible oder wertvolle Daten extern verwaltet werden, sollte sich die Unternehmensführung aber zu einem möglichen Konkurs des Hosting-Anbieters Gedanken machen. Ein solcher wirft nämlich verschiedene bisher nur wenig geklärte Rechtsfragen auf.
Was passiert beim Konkurs des Hosting-Anbieters?
What do I need to know as the member of a Swiss board of directors in times of the coronavirus?
The spread of the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) is causing turnovers to crash and is plunging the Swiss economy into an unprecedented crisis. If the board of directors fails to respond to this crisis, its members risk becoming liable.
Here you will find the answers to the six most important questions regarding a Swiss board member's duties in the wake of the corona crisis: