The ongoing financial crisis has given rise to an increase in financial restructurings for many German companies, as a way of avoiding possible insolvencies. German companies have taken various approaches towards the painful process of restructuring. For instance, they have streamlined their operations, cut costs and raised capital.

From 4 August 2011 special insolvency rules now apply to those Hungarian companies which the Government classifies as “highly important” from a national economic perspective. Insolvency proceedings can be started as a special procedure.

Classification

On August 26, 2011 the Italian Supreme Court issued the decision no. 32899 stating that shareholders of a company will commit an offence if they unreasonably provide funds to a company in distress, rather than proceeding with the immediate liquidation of the company.

The recent volatility experienced in Turkish financial markets and in particular the devaluation of Turkish lira have brought many borrowers to the brink of default. This has prompted the Turkish authorities to take action. Accordingly, the Banking Regulatory and Supervision Authority in Turkey (the “BRSA”) has published a new set of restructuring rules, the Regulation on the Restructuring of Debts Owed to the Financial Sector (the “Restructuring Regulation”), which came into force on 15 August 2018.

The Law Amending Certain Laws for the Purpose of Improvement of the Investment Environment, Law No: 6728 has been published in the Official Gazette dated 9 August 2016 and numbered 29796 (“Amending Law”). It amends several laws including the (i) Stamp Duty Law No: 488, (ii) Law of Fees No: 492, and (iii) provisions of the Turkish Commercial Code Law No: 6102 on the incorporation of entities. With these amendments, the Turkish government aims to reduce the cost of foreign direct investment in Turkey.

In a turning point for Ukrainian bankruptcy law reform, on 18 October 2018 the Ukrainian parliament adopted the Code of Bankruptcy Proceedings, which will replace the existing Law on Restoring Solvency of Debtors or Recognition of Debtors’ Bankruptcy that has been in force since 1992.

On 22 September 2011, the Parliament of Ukraine adopted the Law of Ukraine No. 3795-VI “On Amendments to Several Legislative Acts of Ukraine regarding the Regulation of Legal Relations between Creditors and Receivers of Financial Services” (the “Law”). The Law, among other changes, introduced amendments to the Law of Ukraine “On Restoring Debtor’s Solvency or Recognising it Bankrupt”, No. 2343-XII, dated 14 May 1992, as amended (the “Bankruptcy Law”).

On 22 September 2011, the Parliament of Ukraine adopted Law of Ukraine No. 3795-VI “On Amendments to Several Legislative Acts of Ukraine regarding Regulation of Legal Relations between Creditors and Receivers of Financial Services” (the “Law”). The Law became effective on 16 October 2011. Although the positive impact of certain amendments is rather ambiguous at this stage, the Law is likely to reduce risks in the financial system.

The major amendments envisaged by the Law cover the following key areas:

Loans and security