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Corporate insolvency in BVI is governed by the Insolvency Act, 2003 (as amended) and the Insolvency Rules, 2005 (as amended). These laws are closely based on the English Insolvency Act 1986. There are a number of insolvency regimes available.

Reports last week of the significant increase in corporate insolvencies and voluntary liquidations in England and Wales for Q2 demonstrate the combined impact of government COVID-19 support being withdrawn, soaring energy and fuel costs, and weakening demand – and are being reflected in the nature of the instructions coming into our global jurisdictions from distressed companies across the globe.

The uncertainty that has descended on global economic markets brought about by the global covid-19 pandemic has been widespread and unprecedented. Anyone looking for clear wisdom on the likely trends in restructuring as we look now to the second half of 2022 and beyond may find the milky darkness of a Magic 8-ball a better barometer of future forecasting.

Here, we provide an overview of the offshore restructuring landscape in light of governmental fiscal stimulus measures introduced due to coronavirus either being reduced, withdrawn or, in some cases, never being put in place.

Introduction

The current geo-political climate is contributing to the rapid rise to inflation rates in many countries around the world. Governments have reacted with an inevitable increase to interest rates to try and offer some form of counterbalance to rising costs in an effort to stymy localised, and more widespread, economic recessions.

In relation to a secured party enforcing its rights under a mortgage or charge of shares in a BVI company, the secured party will typically exercise its rights under BVI law to sell the shares or to appoint a receiver in respect of them. Such rights may generally only be exercised after a default has occurred and has continued (without rectification for 14 days following notice of the default) for a period of at least 30 days. These time periods can be shortened by contractual agreement in the relevant security document.

With two decisions (No. 1895/2018 and No. 1896/2018), both filed on 25 January 2018, the Court of Cassation reached opposite conclusions in the two different situations

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The Constitutional Court (6 December 2017) confirmed that Art. 147, para. 5, of the Italian Bankruptcy Law does not violate the Constitution as long as it is interpreted in a broad sense

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With the decision No. 1195 of 18 January 2018, the Court of Cassation ruled on the powers of the extraordinary commissioner to require performance of pending contracts and on the treatment of the relevant claims of the suppliers

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The Court of Cassation with a decision of 25 September 2017, No. 22274 confirms that Art. 74 of the Italian Bankruptcy Law provides a special rule, which does not apply to cases to which it is not explicitly extended

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