In vielen Branchen kann die Lieferkette eine Vielzahl von Unternehmen und Jurisdiktionen umfassen. Im derzeitigen Wirtschaftsklima ist es nicht ungewöhnlich, dass einzelne Lieferanten innerhalb dieser Lieferkette in finanzielle   Schwierigkeiten   geraten   oder ein Insolvenzverfahren beantragen.

In many industries, the supply chain can involve multiple suppliers and jurisdictions. In the current economic climate, it is not unusual for a supplier within the supply chain to encounter financial distress or even to enter into formal insolvency proceedings. This can have a significant impact on a company if its business depends on a distressed supplier and an alternative or additional supplier cannot be found (and production cannot be brought in house) or an alternative sourcing is not possible for other reasons, like part/raw material approval process, testing, customs etc.

The recent Cayman Grand Court ruling of In the Matter of ECM Straits Fund I, LP ("ECM Straits Fund") helpfully clarifies that voluntary liquidators of an Exempted Limited Partnership ("ELP") can be subject to court supervision, with the result that voluntary liquidators can be granted powers that are usually reserved for court-appointed liquidators.

Introduction

On 21 October 2021, the Cayman Islands' legislature gazetted the Companies (Amendment) Bill 2021 (Bill) which introduced a new corporate restructuring process in the Cayman Islands (Cayman). The Bill represents a welcome development to the restructuring regime in the Cayman Islands and once again fortifies the Cayman Islands' standing reputation as a leading offshore financial hub and a popular destination for foreign investment opportunities.

The Cayman Islands' legislature has gazetted the Companies (Amendment) Bill 2021 ("Bill") which introduces a new corporate restructuring process and creates a role for a dedicated restructuring officer in the Cayman Islands.

With the Act on the Temporary Suspension of the Insolvency Filing Obligation Due to Heavy Rainfall and Floods in July 2021 (Gesetz zur vorübergehenden Aussetzung der Insolvenzantragspflicht wegen Starkregenfällen und Hochwassern im Juli 2021), which is part of the Reconstruction Assistance Act 2021 (Aufbauhilfegesetzes 2021), the German Federal Parliament and the German Federal Council have decided to suspend the obligation to file for insolvency retroactively as of 10 July 2021.

With each extension, the scope of the suspension of the obligation to file for insolvency which was first introduced in March 2020 became more and more limited.

I. Introduction

Due to the current corona crisis and the therewith associated tense economic situation, many managing directors (Geschäftsführer) are faced with the question of a possible, punitive obligation to file for insolvency as well as other duties that must be observed in the context of a crisis.

The following provides an overview of the obligation to file for insolvency, payment prohibitions in a crisis as well as the facilitations introduced under the German COVID-19 legislation.

With unanimous vote, the German Parliament passed the Law to mitigate the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic in civil, criminal and insolvency law. This new law brings with it several (temporary) changes of law all of which aim at mitigating the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic in both private and business life. Inter alia, the following provisions have been implemented:

1. Suspension of the obligation to file for insolvency

On Monday, 16 March 2020, the German Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection (Bundesministerium der Justiz und für Verbraucherschutz) announced that they are working on a legislative provision according to which the obligation to file for insolvency within three weeks following the occurrence of a reason for insolvency (i.e. illiquidity or over-indebtedness) would be suspended for such entities which face liquidity issues due to the Corona (COVID-19) pandemic.