Recent weeks have witnessed seismic shifts in the oil and gas industry because of crashing oil prices, demand destruction associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, and crude oil storage reaching record capacity levels. Upstream producers are especially vulnerable to these market pressures and have begun shutting in wells, asserting force majeure, and cutting costs. As counterparties to distressed producers, midstream players face new challenges in navigating contractual relationships and mitigating risk.
New legislation suspends contractual obligations for the next six months with related disputes subject to a separate dispute resolution system.
On 7 April 2020, the Singapore Parliament passed the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) Act (the Act) offering temporary relief to businesses and individuals who are unable to fulfil their contractual obligations because of COVID-19 and providing temporary amendments to bankruptcy and insolvency laws. The Act went into effect immediately.
�عمل مكتب سلمان بن متعب السديري للمحاماة"مؤسسة فردية" بالتعاون مع ليثم أند واتكن� �� المملكة العر�ية السعودية. و�عمل ليثم أند واتكن� �� جميع أنحاء العالم كشراكة ذات مسؤولية محدودةمنظمة بموجب قوان�ن ولاية ديلاو�ر (بالولايات المتحدة الأمر�كية) بالتعاون مع شر�ات تضامن تا�عة ذات مسؤولية محدودة تقدم خدما��ا �� فر�سا وهونج �ونج وإيطاليا وسنغافورة والمملكة المتحدة، وتقدم الشركة خدما��ا كشركة تضامن تا�عة �� اليابان. كما �عمل الشركة �� �ور�ا ا�جنو�ية كشركة أجنبية للاستشارات النظامية. حقوق النشر لعام ٢٠٢٠ محفوظة لصا�ح ليثم أند واتكن�. جميع ا�حقوق محفوظة.
Debtors and creditors can use several options under the Insolvency Law in Saudi Arabia to address COVID-19-related difficultie
As the impact of COVID-19 is felt across the globe, many airlines have grounded their fleet, ceased operating flights, and are potentially in breach of any financial covenants that they may have in their debt or lease documents, if not already in technical insolvency.
If an airline does go into insolvency, what should banks and lessors do to protect their assets? What issues, practical and legal, should they be aware of?
The Warning Signs
As American individuals, employers, and governments are implementing various restrictions from social distancing to quarantines to reduce the rate of new COVID-19 infections, each of these decisions results in an increasingly negative impact on the American economy. Even with the recent financial aid package passed by Congress, with greater credit constraints and a heightened sensitivity to weak consumer demand, small businesses are among those hit the hardest by COVID-19 restrictions.
Proposed changes to UK insolvency laws aim to support companies under pressure due to COVID-19.
On 28 March 2020, the UK government announced a number of reforms to UK insolvency laws:
COVID-19 and government measures to fight it may significantly affect M&A transactions
The Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection (BMJV) is currently finalizing the law to mitigate the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic in civil, insolvency, and criminal proceedings with extraordinary commitment. It shall be adopted less than two weeks after the beginning of the extensive restrictions on public life and the economy in Germany due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
A central element of the law is to facilitate the raising of debt capital in order to support companies in the current situation. For this purpose:
Understanding bankruptcy laws in the UAE and DIFC in the context of COVID-19-related financial pressures.