This article provides snapshot of some of the more incidental goings-on of which we believe practitioners should be aware. Amongst other things, it covers developments in the reform of the EC Regulation, the consultation on the new-look SIP 16, and the Comet decision on the extent of the court’s S.236 powers.

EU Council adopts agreement on EC Insolvency Regulation reforms

First in the lineup, the Council of the EU agreed a compromise agreement with the EU Parliament on the proposed amendments to the EC Insolvency Regulation (Reg EC 1346/2000).

The PPF’s final levy rules for 2015/16 published at the end of last year largely confirmed the consultation drafts but included changes in some details.

We recap on what was known before the final rules came out. Then we look at the changes in the final rules.

Changes already confirmed

Insolvency scoring

Este comentario tiene la finalidad de avanzar en el diálogo recíproco iniciado con las propuestas de interpretación de los jueces de lo Mercantil de Madrid sobre las nuevas reglas de calificación culpable del concurso (Acuerdo de 7 y 21 de noviembre del 2014).Análisis GA&P | Enero 2015 1 1.

Preamble

The background

Análisis GA&P | Diciembre 2014 1 1. ¿Alcanza el efecto de paralización de ejecuciones sobre bienes necesarios del deudor que realiza la comunicación del artículo 5 bis de la Ley Concursal a la efectividad de una medida cautelar acordada contra el patrimonio del deudor? Respuesta: En principio, la mera efectividad de una medida cautelar no puede quedar comprendida en la paralización de las ejecuciones judiciales de bienes o derechos, pues única y exclusivamente está preordenada a garantizar la tutela de fondo que se pide.

Paragraph 71 of Schedule B1 to the Insolvency Act allows an administrator to apply to court to sell assets subject to a fixed charge as if they were not subject to the security. The case of O’Connell v Rollings and others [2014] EWCA Civ 639 is a rare illustration of such an application and provides useful guidance on the factors the court will take into account.

The background

We have become used to a regular stream of decisions in which the courts are prepared to grant administration or winding up orders in respect of overseas companies which have COMI or an establishment in the UK. The decision inRe Buccament Bay Limited and another [2014] EWCH 3130 is a rare exception in which the court has refused to exercise its discretion.

The background

The rule

The PPF is going ahead with the new insolvency scoring system developed by Experian.

It is also raising its requirements for contingent asset guarantees.

Partnerships which are breaking up face a series of urgent problems – particularly where the business itself is becoming insolvent. These difficulties can be amplified by failing relationships between the partners (who have to work together to wind up the business) and the potential need to realise assets rapidly to stave off the appointment of liquidators.