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The Key Issues and Background

The Court of Appeal was asked to consider two key points (together with matters, including relating to the granting of summary judgment) regarding the procedural aspects of applications in insolvency proceedings. The relevant proceedings were issued by the trustees in bankruptcy of Nicola Ide (the “Trustees”).

First, could the County Court transfer part of insolvency proceedings to the High Court?

Cory Bebb looks at a recent unsuccessful attempt by Administrators to block an £18.6M misfeasance claim by contributories.

“All cats are animals, but all animals are not cats” - former administrators’ attempt to stop £18.6M misfeasance claim based upon their CVA release clause, fails in a provisional ruling: Re Rhino Enterprise Properties Limited [2020] EWHC 2370 (Ch)

The case of Re Lehman Brothers Europe Ltd (In Administration)[2020] EWHC 1369 (Ch) in May 2020 highlighted the importance of ensuring that creditors or the creditors committee approve the discharge of Administrators’ liability pursuant to paragraph 98 of Schedule B1 to the Insolvency Act 1986.

publication of The Debt Respite Scheme (Breathing Space Moratorium and Mental Health Crisis Moratorium) (England and Wales) Regulations 2020. If approved by Parliament the scheme will come into force on 4 May 2021.

Having successfully obtained a public interest winding-up order in Re PAG Management Services Limited [2015] BCC 720 which operated a business rates avoidance scheme using Members’ Voluntary Liquidations, the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy unsuccessfully tackled its successor in the Court of Appeal.

The scheme in this case (Scheme 3) was a variant upon two earlier schemes, Scheme 2 being no longer in operation following the public interest winding-up of PAG Management Services Limited.

The Belgian legislature once again recently improved the statutory framework for business restructuring. Thus, any business - a broad concept that covers not only companies and non-profits but also independent contractors - in financial difficulty may request the opening of judicial reorganisation proceedings (procédure en réorganisation judiciaire), commonly referred to by insiders as "PRJ".

The Dutch Supreme Court today confirmed the decision of the Amsterdam Court of Appeals which found that the bankruptcy of Russian oil company Yukos cannot be recognised in the Netherlands because it came about in a manner which violates Dutch public policy. Today's decision marks the end of a court battle that lasted more than a decade. 

Claiming damages for the loss/harm sustained by a lessor as a result of the lessee’s insolvency (i.e. ”loss owing to vacancy” [leegstandschade]) is an issue that comes up again and again. The Dutch Supreme Court has rendered a series of rulings on this matter, the most recent of which dates from 17 February 2017. On 3 July 2018, the Court of Appeal in The Hague delivered its judgment after the case had been referred back to it.

On 18 January 2017, EU Regulation n°655/2014 establishing a European Account Preservation Order ("EAPO") procedure became fully applicable in all Member States, with the exception of Denmark and the United Kingdom.