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此前我们在《从“License-in”转型“License-out”——你的“自主知识产权”成色几何?》中对企业在开展License-out过程中涉及的知识产权侵权问题进行了梳理,并提出了实操建议供企业参考。此外,在技术许可交易中,还有一个此前常被中国企业在技术交易中忽略的问题,即技术许可方破产对技术许可的影响。随着中国技术类企业正逐步从技术引进(“License-in”)转向技术输出(“License-out”),中国企业也时常碰到境外被许可方提出的“破产保护”诉求。我们将在本文中对该问题进行探讨,并对国外常见的应对方案“技术托管”进行较为详细的介绍。

一、许可方破产对技术许可合同的影响

2021年5月14日,最高人民法院与香港特区政府签署了《最高人民法院和香港特别行政区政府关于内地与香港特别行政区法院相互认可和协助破产程序的会谈纪要》(以下简称“《会谈纪要》”),为进一步细化两地破产案件协助机制,最高人民法院发布了《关于开展认可和协助香港特别行政区破产程序试点工作的意见》(以下简称“《试点意见》”),在破产程序的互相认可、互认的案件范围、互认的法律效力、两地司法机构的协助方式等方面为涉及两地的破产工作提供了创新性指引。我们从《试点意见》的诞生背景入手,分析此次《试点意见》的创新亮点,作为在内地和香港特别行政区均专业从事债务重组业务的律师事务所,展望两地破产协助的前景。

一、《试点意见》的诞生背景

在《中华人民共和国香港特别行政区基本法》的效力前提下,香港特区可以与全国其他地区的司法机关以协商方式进行司法协助。在法院判决及仲裁裁决的互认与执行等方面,内地与香港地区已签署八项民商事司法协助安排,但此前两地的司法协助将破产领域除外。《中华人民共和国企业破产法》第五条对跨境破产作出原则性规定,尚无制度性的司法文件。此番《试点意见》的出台,是对两地司法协助在破产领域的拓展性探索,对于破产从业人员参与跨境程序、保全企业资产、参与衍生诉讼与仲裁、境外债权人参与破产程序而言,《试点意见》无疑具有开创性意义。

引言:近期某集团破产清算案中,关于债务人与境外基金债权人之间因“维好协议”引发的纠纷事项,上海金融法院作出裁定,对境外债权人在香港特别行政区取得的对该债务人的胜诉判决予以认可,鉴此该境外债权人的债权有望在破产程序中获得确认。而其他破产案件中,管理人对境外投资人基于“维好协议”的债权作出不予确认的决定。由此,关于“维好协议”项下的债权人应如何主张权利、在“维好提供方”破产的情况下可否享有破产债权人地位并参与破产程序等问题众说纷纭。为此,本文将从“维好协议”的性质入手,在境内“维好提供方”破产语境下,阐述“维好协议”项下债权人可以主张权利的路径,并分析各救济途径在司法实践中的可行性。

一、“维好协议”的性质分析

(一)何谓“维好协议”

The High Court decision in Re All Star Leisure (Group) Limited (2019), which confirmed the validity of an administration appointment by a qualified floating charge holder (QFCH) out of court hours by CE-Filing, will be welcomed.

The decision accepted that the rules did not currently provide for such an out of hours appointment to take place but it confirmed it was a defect capable of being cured and, perhaps more importantly, the court also stressed the need for an urgent review of the rules so that there is no doubt such an appointment could be made.

In certain circumstances, if a claim is proven, the defendant will be able to offset monies that are due to it from the claimant - this is known as set off.

Here, we cover the basics of set off, including the different types of set off and key points you need to know.

What is set off?

Where the right of set off arises, it can act as a defence to part or the whole of a claim.

In our update this month we take a look at some recent decisions that will be of interest to those involved in insolvency litigation. These include:

Creditor not obliged to take steps in foreign proceedings to preserve security

No duty of care owed for negligent bank reference to undisclosed principal

The Supreme Court has held that a bank which negligently provided a favourable credit reference for one of its customers did not owe a duty of care to an undisclosed principal who acted on that reference.

There has been a series of high profile tenant company voluntary arrangements (CVAs), particularly in the retail and casual dining sectors. Many landlords have been hit by closure of underperforming stores, and by rent cuts on those remaining open. Here we outline ten points for landlords on what CVAs are, how they are entered into and what landlords can do to protect themselves.

What is a CVA?

A CVA is a statutory process, supervised by an insolvency practitioner. It allows a company in financial difficulty to:

In our update this month we take a look at some of the recent cases that will be of interest to those involved in insolvency litigation. These include: