This update focusses on the recent Supreme Court decision in Re Lehman Brothers International (Europe) concerning the application of the “contributory rule” in administration and the admissibility and set-off of contingent claims in administration

Lehmans and the contributory rule

Summary of miscellaneous French draft legislation
• Draft law granting amnesty for acts committed in the course of social movements and trade unions' protesting activities – Filed on
November 28, 2012 – Adopted in first reading by the Senate on February 27, 2013 – A vote for a referral to commission was adopted
during the first session on May 16, 2013.
• Draft law relating to social and solidarity-based economy, n°805 – filed on July 24, 2013 – adopted in first reading by the Senate on
November 7, 2013.

timeline - a guide to the legal milestones ahead CALENDA R OF KEY ISSUES (UK PERSPECTIVE) MAY 2014 LEGAL GUIDE ABOUT HERBERT SMITH FREEHILLS We are one of the world’s leading law firms. We advise many of the biggest and most ambitious organisations across all major regions of the globe. Our clients trust us with their most important transactions, disputes and projects because of our ability to cut through complexity and mitigate risk. We can help you thrive in the global economy.

The European Commission recently published a recommendation addressed to Member States on a new approach to rescuing businesses and offering a second chance to honest entrepreneurs. It aims to ensure that viable businesses experiencing financial difficulti es have access to restructuring mechanisms at an early stage to prevent insolvency and maximise overall value for creditors, employees and owners. It also proposes a second chance for honest entrepreneurs involved in insolvency proceedings.

On 9 April 2014, the Commission published proposals to amend the existing Shareholder Rights Directive (2007/36/EC).

16 January 2014
Case C-328/12
Court of Justice of the European Union (Judges Tizzano, Lenaerts, Borg Barthet, Levits, Berger (Rapporteur))

The Court of Justice extended the reach of the EU Insolvency Regulation to allow proceedings to set aside transactions to be brought against defendants resident in non-member states, confirming that it has universal effect.

HR Consultancy

DURC: new system officially started

The new system of internal DURC (“Documento Unico di Regolarità Contributiva”), through which the INPS (“Istituto Nazionale della Previdenza Sociale”) ensures the regular payment of social security contributions by the employer, officially started. 

These days, in fact, the companies have started to receive by certified e-mail (PEC) an invitation to stabilize any irregularity within 15 days.

Fixed term employment contract: fines replace reinstatement

The Court of Appeal decided yesterday that it couldn’t make a ruling on the correct way to calculate the collective redundancies threshold without making a reference to the European Court of Justice. Employers will therefore have to wait a considerable while longer before the law is clarified.

In Europe each year there are an estimated 200,000 corporate insolvencies. More than half of the companies set up do not survive their first five years of trading and more than 1.7 million jobs are lost every year as a result. One in five of those companies will have international operations that cross national borders.

The European Union (EU) has sought to introduce an element of harmonization across its Member States, to facilitate the effective operation of cross-border insolvencies.

We take a look at the reforms to the EC Insolvency Regulation in light of the European Parliament’s 4 February vote on the committee of legal affairs’ report on the proposed reforms.

The background