Following the substantial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on global trade and business operations in the UAE, the Government of the UAE has taken measures to protect businesses facing financial difficulty. Among these measures has been a mechanism that provides relief to businesses in financial distress because of the pandemic within the framework of the UAE Federal Bankruptcy Law No. 9 of 2016 (the Bankruptcy Law).

Need to know

In a first for the US and Australian markets, the Buccaneer Energy group of companies successfully had bankruptcy plans approved by the US Bankruptcy Court for both US and Australian incorporated debtor companies. 

"Once in a generation" review

Shortly before the Christmas break, the much anticipated review of the United States "Chapter 11 bankruptcy" regime was published by the American Bankruptcy Institute (ABI). This is one of very few such major "root and branch" reviews of Chapter 11 since its enactment in 1978, and the first since the 1990s.