Russia has continually been working to improve the functioning of its judicial system and the administration of justice for more than two decades. The active reforms began with a decree by the Russian president creating the judiciary as a branch of the state, separate from the legislature and the executive, and these reforms have yet to be completed. In fact, we are now seeing a new level of reform, in which the Supreme Arbitration Court of the Russian Federation will cease to exist and its powers will pass to the newly formed Supreme Court of Russia.

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.