In response to the anticipated economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, on 31 March 2020 the Czech Government approved the so-called ‘Lex COVID-19’ and sent the draft law to the Parliament for expedited legislative processing. This article focuses on the implications of the Lex COVID-19 on the insolvency proceedings in the Czech Republic. For wider implications of the Lex COVID-19, please see this article.
On 31 March 2020, the Czech government approved ‘Lex COVID-19’, a new act (and an amendment of the Insolvency Act and Enforcement Code) that should help mitigate certain effects caused by the COVID-19 epidemic, especially in relation to different proceedings (e.g. civil, administrative, criminal, insolvency and enforcement) and the corporate lives of legal entities.
Lex COVID-19 will now be debated in the Chamber of Deputies ahead of final approval.
On Saturday (28 March 2020) the UK Government announced certain changes to insolvency laws in response to COVID-19, intended to help companies and directors.
There are two aspects to the changes:
Retrospective suspension or relaxation of wrongful trading
New restructuring procedure and new temporary moratorium
Introduction
On Saturday (28 March 2020) the UK Government announced certain changes to insolvency laws in response to COVID-19, intended to help companies and directors.
There are two aspects to the changes:
There have been increasing concerns in recent weeks that UK insolvency law does not accommodate the short-term impact of COVID-19 on many businesses. In response, the Business Secretary announced on 28 March that the UK's insolvency rules would be amended as part of the Government's wider business support package. Whilst the measures that the Government intends to implement have not yet been fully detailed, this note summarises what has been announced so far and what we might expect, based on the Business Secretary's comments.
Correct as of 16.00 on 24 March 2020. This article is being maintained.
The global COVID-19 outbreak is presenting businesses with unprecedented challenges. In the last two weeks the UK Government has announced a raft of COVID-19 liquidity and tax assistance measures for businesses and individuals.
Last September we reported on the Court’s decision on the landlords’ challenge to the Debenhams CVA on grounds of unfair prejudice and material irregularity, in respect of which the landlords have now successfully obtained permission to appeal on various grounds (see below).
Alternative assets have enjoyed an unprecedented level of growth over the last decade, which looks set to continue with global AUM growing from $8.8tn in 2017 to a projected $14tn in 20231.
Introduction
The decision of ICC Judge Barber in the case of Stephen Hunt & System Building Services Group Limited -v- Brian Michie & System Building Services Group Limited [2020] EWHC 54 (Ch) was recently handed down and it is an interesting decision about directors’ duties post the appointment of an administrator or liquidator.
Facts
The facts are quite involved and matter specific, and gave rise to a number of issues, but for present purposes the key issues are as follows.
On 25 February 2020, the High Court handed down an important ruling: Granville Technology Group Limited (In Liquidation) and Others v Elpida Memory (Europe) Gmbh and Others [2020] EWHC 415 (Comm). This is the first ruling by an English Court on how the Limitation Act 1980 should be applied to secret cartel claims.