For the benefit of our clients and friends investing in European distressed opportunities, our European Network is sharing some current developments

Recent Developments

There is much to admire in the EU's handling of the Italian banking crisis, but in allowing two lenders to escape BRRD rules, it has raised questions on the consistency of the EU state aid and resolution framework.

European Leveraged Finance Alert Series: Issue 6

Legislative changes in Italy (starting from 2012) facilitated leveraged transactions facilitating security in both bank and bond financings and aligning bond and bank finance options. These changes have catalyzed creditors’ appetite for Italian leveraged finance transactions and helped fuel a resurgence in M&A activity in Italy. Here are ten (plus one) things to consider when doing a leveraged finance deal in Italy:

On June 27, 2015, the Italian government approved Law Decree No. 83/2015 (the “Decree”) with the aim of further improving the competitiveness of Italian bankruptcy legislation and facilitating debt restructuring of Italian companies.

The Decree entered into force on June 27, 2015 and needs to be converted into law by the Italian Parliament within 60 days of such date.

New rules on restructuring procedures

Il 5 aprile scorso l’Avvocato Generale Campos Sànchez-Bordona (AG) ha rassegnato le proprie conclusioni nell’ambito della causa C-245/16 pendente innanzi alla Corte di Giustizia (CdG) e instaurata su un rinvio pregiudiziale da parte del TAR Marche.

È stata pubblicata sulla Gazzetta Ufficiale n.153 del 2 luglio 2016 la legge di conversione n. 119/2016 (la Legge di Conversione) del Decreto Legge n. 59/2016 recante “Disposizioni urgenti in materia di procedure esecutive e concorsuali nonché a favore degli investitori in banche in liquidazione” (il Decreto). Di seguito una breve descrizione delle misure più rilevanti come modificate in sede di conversione in legge.

Una nuova forma di garanzia, il “pegno mobiliare non possessorio”

A law decree providing for urgent measures on guarantees, foreclosure and insolvency proceedings and aiming at restoring damages suffered by investors of banks under liquidation, was published on the Italian Official Gazette n. 59 on 3 May 2016 (the Decree). The Decree must be converted into law by the Italian Parliament by 2 July 2016 (i.e. within 60 days from the date of its publication) to become fully effective.

“Pegno mobiliare non possessorio”, an Italian floating security interest

E’ stato pubblicato sulla Gazzetta Ufficiale n. 59 del 3 maggio 2016 il Decreto Legge recante “Disposizioni urgenti in materia di procedure esecutive e concorsuali nonché a favore degli investitori in banche in liquidazione” (il Decreto). Il Decreto dovrà essere convertito in legge entro il 2 luglio 2016 (60 giorni dalla data di pubblicazione). Di seguito una breve descrizione delle misure più rilevanti.

Una nuova forma di garanzia, il “pegno mobiliare non possessorio”

Important changes to Italian bankruptcy law with particular respect to the composition with creditors (concordato preventivo) and restructuring agreements (accordi di ristrutturazione) have entered into force on 27 June 2015.

ITALY

BANCA MONTE DEI PASCHI DI SIENA SpA

Monte dei Paschi di Siena (“Monte Paschi”) founded in 1472 and said to be the oldest bank in the world is, at the time of publication, in a race against the clock to raise EUR 5 billion in capital by the end of December to avoid either a state bail-out or potentially being wound down by the European Central Bank (“ECB”).