The Swiss Debt Enforcement and Bankruptcy Act (DEBA) allows the initiation of debt enforcement proceedings before a court becomes involved. A creditor can request the competent debt enforcement office (normally at the domicile of the debtor) to issue a payment order to the debtor. The office serves that payment order without verifying the existence and enforceability of the purported claim; however, the debtor may declare its objection, within 10 days, to the debt enforcement office.

Swiss Civil Procedure Law in a Nutshell (Volume 9 of 12)

This blog series provides litigators and corporate counsel from other jurisdictions with a practical understanding of the mechanics, advantages, and limits of litigation before State Courts in Switzerland.

No Class Actions

Anfechtungsklagen – Worum geht es?

Schuldner können versucht sein, Vermögenswerte dem Zugriff durch eine mögliche Zwangsvollstreckung zu entziehen. Die Anfechtungsklage (auch "Pauliana" genannt) gibt der Konkursverwaltung, und unter bestimmten Voraussetzungen den Gläubigern, die Möglichkeit, solche Rechtshandlungen des Schuldners anzufechten. Bei Gutheissung der Klagen werden die Vermögenswerte der Zwangsvollstreckung zugeführt.

Avoidance Actions – What are they?

Debtors may be tempted to protect assets from access by a possible foreclosure. The avoidance action (also called "Pauliana") gives the bankruptcy administration, and under certain conditions the creditors, the opportunity to challenge such legal acts of the debtor. Upon approval of the actions, the assets will be foreclosed.

On 16 March 2018, the Swiss Parliament adopted the revision of the international insolvency provisions of the Swiss Private International Law Act ("PILA"). Such revision particularly aims at simplifying the recognition of foreign insolvency proceedings in Switzerland which shall lead to a reduction of costs and improved efficiency. The revised PILA is now subject to an optional referendum.

On October 14 2015 the Federal Council published a revision project for the Private International Law Act regarding the recognition and coordination of foreign bankruptcy proceedings in Switzerland.

Current situation

A foreign insolvency decree can be recognised in Switzerland, at request of the foreign liquidator or a creditor, only if:

Introduction

Introduction

Since January 22 2015 the Swiss National Bank has charged a negative interest rate (currently 0.75%) for sight deposit account balances that Swiss banks hold with the Swiss National Bank, provided that the sight deposit account balance exceeds a given exemption threshold.(1)

What happens to a license agreement on insolvency of one of the parties? The answer depends not only on the terms of the license agreement and the law that governs that agreement, but also on the laws of the place where the insolvent party is located.

Stilli Park declares bankruptcy
Recent case law

Stilli Park declares bankruptcy

On June 2 2014 Stilli Park AG, the leaseholder of the Intercontinental Davos – a hotel with the singular shape of a golden egg – declared bankruptcy.