The European Advocate General has today given his opinion in the “Woolworths case” (and two other cases) on the meaning of “establishment” for the purposes of determining when the duty to consult appropriate representatives is triggered under the European Collective Redundancies Directive (the Directive).

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.

Background

The past eighteen months have seen a marked increase in the use of the Company Voluntary Arrangement (“CVA”) by retailers to reduce their lease liabilities and win the release of onerous parent company guarantees, with several high street names going through the process. Although this practice received cautious support from landlords, real concern continues to be voiced over the practice of “guarantee stripping”.

Last week, the Federal Trade Commission announcedamendments to the Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR) relating to the telemarketing of debt relief services, including new restrictions on advance fees charged by debt relief companies.

Today, the Board of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation took the following actions:

Yesterday, the Office of the Commissioner of Financial Institutions of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico closed Westernbank Puerto Rico, headquartered in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, and the FDIC was appointed receiver.

Yesterday, the Office of the Commissioner of Financial Institutions of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico closed R-G Premier Bank of Puerto Rico, headquartered in Hato Rey, Puerto Rico, and the FDIC was appointed receiver.

Yesterday, the Washington Department of Financial Institutions closed Frontier Bank, headquartered in Everett, Washington, and appointed the FDIC receiver.

Yesterday, the Office of the Commissioner of Financial Institutions of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico closed Eurobank, headquartered in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and the FDIC was appointed receiver.