The toughening of lockdown measures in Spain and resulting closure of all business activities not classed as essential makes it absolutely necessary to keep very much in sight this week the measures approved in the labor and employment field. In the domain of corporate law and commercial contracts, the decision governing the first tranche of guarantees to soften the economic effects of the crisis has already been published in the Spanish Official State Gazette (BOE). As for tax matters, the personal income tax and wealth tax season is about to start.

The April 29, 2020 edition of the Official State Gazette -BOE- published Royal Decree-Law 16/2020, of April 28, 2020 on procedural and organizational measures to confront COVID-19 in the justice system, aimed primarily at getting the justice system ready for a return to normal operations by the courts and tribunals, finding a quick way through the build-up of proceedings suspended by the declaration of the state of emergency, and adopting measures to cope with an increase in lawsuits as a result of the extraordinary measures that have been adopted and of the economic climate arising

As year end approaches, it is time to start planning the liquidation of Cayman Islands entities that have reached the end of their life cycle, to ensure that unnecessary fees are not incurred.

On September 10, 2019, Madrid Commercial Court number 6 delivered a decision arguing that it was necessary to examine whether the prior notice under article 5 bis of the Insolvency Law stemmed from steps taken to prepare or perform serious and effective negotiations.

El Tribunal Supremo dictó el pasado 2 de julio una sentencia pionera en la que se abordan los requisitos para conseguir la liberación de deudas a través del mecanismo de la llamada segunda oportunidad. En nuestro ordenamiento se conoce a la segunda oportunidad como beneficio de exoneración del pasivo insatisfecho (BEPI) y es una herramienta que pueden utilizar las personas físicas (empresarios, autónomos o consumidores fuertemente endeudados) para liberarse de sus deudas, que les serán condonadas, permitiéndoles emprender nuevos proyectos.

The Central Bank of Ireland ("CBI") issued a letter to all fund management companies on 7 August 2019 ("Letter") with a timely reminder of their ongoing obligations regarding liquidity management and compliance with legislative and regulatory obligations for UCITS and AIFs. This is in the context of the CBI's continuing engagement with industry on Brexit preparedness, and it stated it will have regard to the Letter as part of its future supervisory engagements.

The ILP is a regulated common law partnership structure which will be of significant interest to international managers marketing to EU investors and wider global markets.

The Bill seeks to introduce a number of important changes which aim to position the ILP as a leading EU fund vehicle for private equity and sustainable investments.

Although the Bill remains subject to further approval as it passes through the legislative process, this is nonetheless a very positive and welcome development.

The timing of the commencement of the voluntary liquidation of a Cayman Islands company was often driven primarily by the desire to avoid incurring the following year's annual government fees. To avoid those fees, the liquidation had to commence by December, with the final meeting being held before the end of January. This timetable resulted in an effective dissolution date into the next calendar year, while still avoiding the government fees for that year.

Final provision number three of the Trade Secrets Law, in force since March 13, 2019, authorized the government to approve a revised wording of the Insolvency Law within eight months. Under that authorization, on March 22 the Ministries of Justice and of Economy and Enterprise submitted a bill for the Revised Insolvency Law.

La Disposición Final Tercera de la Ley de Secretos Empresariales, en vigor desde el pasado 13 de marzo, habilitaba al Gobierno a aprobar un texto refundido de la Ley Concursal en el plazo de ocho meses. De acuerdo con dicha habilitación, los Ministerios de Justicia y Economía y Empresa presentaron el 22 de marzo un proyecto de Texto Refundido de la Ley Concursal.