Recent news reports have highlighted that the number of corporate insolvencies has continued to rise during 2022 and 2023, with the retail sector being particularly affected. Many companies are struggling to meet the demands of repaying government support provided during lockdown, increased running costs and high wages coupled with lower demand due to the cost of living crisis.
On 28 June 2023, the Slovak Parliament approved the Act on Company Transformations No. 309/2023 Coll. (the “Act”). The Act incorporates several changes that may have an impact on the financing market in Slovakia.
1.Whitewash
Two recent cases from New Zealand demonstrate how an equitable lien can arise in insolvency to elevate the interest of unsecured purchasers of goods to secured status.
Key takeouts
Hong Kong is the only common law jurisdiction within the People’s Republic of China and one of the few financial centres in the world without a formal rescue mechanism in its legislation. Hong Kong has not enacted legislation to recognise corporate rescue over simple liquidation.
On 30 October 2023, HM Treasury (“HMT”) published 3 key updates on its proposed approach to regulating cryptoassets under the UK’s financial services regulatory framework, namely:
On 22 Sept 2023, the Australian government responded to the Whittaker Review, releasing the Personal Property Securities Amendment Bill 2023 for public consultation until 17 Nov 2023.
Overview of the Whittaker review and Government's response
This week's issue has a strong risk focus. We cover speeches from ASIC Chair Joe Longo and Minister for Home Affairs Clare O'Neil to the AFR Cyber Summit. On the financial services front, the FAR Bills received Assent and the ABA's new Banking Code is anticipated to be in place in 'early 2024' (subject to ASIC approval).
In light of the European Commission’s recent proposal that an EU Directive be issued regulating insolvency and pre-pack proceedings, Romania’s insolvency and bankruptcy legal framework does not currently provide rules on pre-packs or on the preparation of a sale of a debtor's assets before insolvency proceedings are formally opened.
After more than two years of delay, preventive restructuring has finally become available to companies in financial difficulties in the Czech Republic. Czech companies can now seek to restructure their troubled businesses outside formal insolvency proceedings with the help of new rules specifically designed to keep their viable business operating and to prevent insolvency.
Currently, Ukrainian legislation does not provide for a separate “pre-pack proceeding” as outlined in the draft EU directive for harmonising insolvency law (“Directive Proposal”). However, selling a business is a legally feasible option under the Ukrainian Bankruptcy Code and related laws, both in a pre-bankruptcy phase and during bankruptcy proceeding.