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On 7 December 2022, the European Commission published its proposal for a directive harmonising certain aspects of insolvency law (the Insolvency Directive).

The Insolvency Directive seeks to offer more certainty and create a common minimum standard of insolvency regimes across member states, encouraging more effective cross-border investment.

It aims to harmonise three key areas of EU insolvency law (the Insolvency Directive).

Aims law:

  • the recovery of assets

  • the efficiency of proceedings

2016年破産倒産法の下では、企業債務者が債務の弁済ができない場合、倒産処理手続き(CIRP)が開始され、再建計画の募集により企業債務者の再生を試みます。その後、当該再生手続が失敗に終わった場合、企業債務者は清算されることになります。法は、CIRPにおいては「管財人」が企業債務者の再生と再構築に取り組み、これが失敗した場合に、清算人が企業債務者の支配者となり、企業債務者の資産を売却してその収益を分配し、解散を申請する、と定めています。清算人は、管財人は異なるいくつかの特別な権限を有しています。

R.K. Industries (Unit-II) LLP v. HR Commercials Pvt. Ltd.(R.K. Industries Case)において、最高裁判所は、企業債務者の資産の売却方法に関する清算人の商業的英断は、倒産裁判所の限定的な司法審査の対象となることを明確にしました。

Brief facts - 概要

Introduction - はじめに

企業倒産処理手続(CIRP)が進行している間、債権者と CIRP 対象企業(企業債務者)との間で、債務解消のための話し合いが行われることがよくあり ます。このような場合において、債権者は、債務者に対して行ったCIRPの開始申請(CIRP申請)を撤回することができます。本記事では、債務者が清算手続きに入った後におけるCIRP申請の取り下げについて、VS Varun v. South India Bank(VS Varun Case)における会社法審判所(NCLT)の判決を参照に、解説します。

NCLT in VS Varun Case - VS Varun CaseにおけるNCLT

The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (Code) was introduced as a one stop solution for resolving insolvencies, which previously was a long-drawn process that did not offer an economically viable arrangement. In 2022, the Indian courts have been guided by the principal of ‘resolution of insolvency of debtor’ over ‘recovery by creditors’ and have refused insolvency applications where they found such application were for recovery of money rather for insolvency of the debtor.

On 9 December 2022, in the first restructuring to be implemented by way of a parallel and overlapping Hong Kong scheme and English restructuring plan, the English High Court approved a restructuring plan proposed by Hong Kong Airlines Limited (Hong Kong Airlines). The High Court of Hong Kong followed suit on 14 December 2022 and approved a scheme of arrangement on broadly the same terms.

The approved restructuring has saved Hong Kong Airlines from imminent liquidation and aims to secure its continued existence as a going concern.

Background

It has been just over a year since the introduction of Poland's new electronic insolvency procedure. The new procedure, introduced on 1 December 2021, is generally conducted via an online platform, the National Debtors’ Register, and has brought about a revolutionary change to Polish insolvency procedure.

Positive developments

  • Faster access to the court - Documents filed on the online platform are instantly disclosed to the judge and to the other parties involved. The court’s decisions are also delivered quickly to the parties.

On 11 November 2022, the English High Court handed down judgment in relation to a number of applications made by the insolvency officeholders of 10 UK energy suppliers, seeking clarification on issues arising in the insolvencies which had not previously been considered by the courts.

Background

The officeholders sought directions from the court on the following:

  • whether the claims in the insolvencies by UK energy regulator, Ofgem relating to outstanding renewables obligation payments (ROPs) were valid, and

On 23 November 2022, the Regional Court of Munich ruled that shareholders' damages claims for breach of capital markets law rank as equity and not as general unsecured claims in the Wirecard insolvency. As a result, the shareholders can only recover from the insolvent estate in the unlikely event that all insolvency creditors' claims are fully satisfied.

The decision