Spanish Royal Decree-Law 4/2014, passed on March 7 2014, has considerably changed the rules for the court-sanctioning of so-called Spanish schemes of arrangement. Amongst those changes, the reform has lowered the majorities required to achieve a Spanish scheme. Currently, a majority of at least 51% of the financial liabilities held by all creditors at the time of the refinancing agreement (acuerdo de refinanciación) approval, will suffice to request the insolvency judge to sanction the agreement, so it is considered ringfenced and protected from any challenge for rescission.

The fumus boni iuris used to justify the adoption of interim measures, involving blocking the enforcement of a financial guarantee, was counteracted since the pledge was fully enforceable under Luxembourg law, which was the governing law.

The parties had agreed to institute a financial guarantee on certain shares owned by the insolvent company and the pledge was made subject to Luxembourg law, because the account where the shares were deposited was located in Luxembourg.

On March 18, 2014, the Bank of Spain gave credit institutions consistent criteria to apply the provisions of Circular 4/2004 to restructuring transactions resulting from the refinancing agreements regulated under the Insolvency Act, complying with the stipulations of Additional Provision One of Royal Decree Law 4/2014, which assigned the drafting of those criteria to the Bank of Spain.

Royal decree-law 4/2014, on urgent measures for refinancing and restructuring corporate debt: amends the Insolvency Act and the exemption on mandatory takeover bids for rescue operations, and extends the special regime for calculating losses due tue impairment

I  FRAMEWORK OF AVAL

Legal Framework of Aval

The aval consists of a personal guarantee of obligations that is typical of debt securities – in particular bills of exchange, promissory notes and cheques – and enormously important given how often the same is used in practice in the commercial activity, namely the provision of aval to commercial companies, makers of debt securities.

Financial entities. Royal Decree-Law 14/2013, of November 29, on urgent measures to adapt Spanish law to European Union law on the supervision and solvency of financial entities. (BOE 287, November 30, 2013)

European Union law on the supervision and solvency of financial entities (Basel III) has been incorporated into Spanish law.

Royal Decree-Law 4/2014, of March 7, on urgent measures for refinancing and restructuring corporate debt, substantially amends the Insolvency Act (particularly regarding the regulation of refinancing agreements and their court sanctioning, and other pre-insolvency institutions). It also modifies the exemption on mandatory takeover bids for rescue operations and extends for one more year (and broadens the scope of) the special regime for calculating loss based on impairment in cases of mandatory capital reduction and mandatory dissolution of companies.

These resolutions clarify the circumstances in which an appraisal certificate is required to create and amend mortgages following the reform of the Rules of Civil Law Procedure under Act 1/2013.

Claims secured with an in rem guarantee continue to accrue default interest charged to the encumbered asset and are classified as privileged.

DOING BUSINESS IN PORTUGAL A legal and tax perspective This guide provides general information to investors intending to operate in Portugal on legal issues on which they may need advice. It is not intended, and cannot be considered, as a comprehensive and detailed analysis of Portuguese law or, under any circumstances, as legal advice from Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira. This guide was drafted on the basis of information available as of October, 2015. Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira is under no obligation and assumes no responsibility to update this information. All rights reserved.