The government has provided temporary relief against winding up petitions for companies between 23 April 2020 to 31 December 2020 (“Prescribed Duration”). This has come about by increasing the minimum amount of indebtedness needed for a deemed statutory insolvency and by exempting the compliance period for a statutory demand for payment of 21 days, and permitting compliance within 6 months. This was done by gazetting Companies (Exemption) (No 2) Order 2020 (the “Exemption Order”) pursuant to S.466 of the Companies Act 2016 (the “Act”).
While it did not focus on bankruptcy relief, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act contained provisions relating to small bankruptcy debtors.
A voluntary administrator is often appointed by the company. The directors have a role in selecting the administrator; often the referral will come through one of the company’s advisers, such as the accountant or lawyer.
This quick guide summarises the duties that directors of companies incorporated in Australia are subject to, and how those duties change when a company is insolvent or at risk of being insolvent.
It also gives an overview of the personal risk to directors when a company is in financial difficulty.
This note is intended as an overview and should not be relied on as legal advice. Should you require legal advice in relation to your specific circumstances, please contact the Restructuring & Insolvency team member whose contact details are at the end of this note.
On 28 March 2020 the Business Secretary announced further new far-reaching measures to help businesses combat the financial impact of COVID-19.
In a welcome intervention, the Business Secretary declared it was the government’s intention to suspend wrongful trading provisions and to introduce a moratorium for businesses undergoing a restructuring process. Both measures are intended to assist companies to trade through financial distress caused by the loss of business due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
On 21 April 2020, the Russian Supreme Court issued clarifications addressing various issues related to COVID-19 (“Clarifications”).
Terms of performance of obligations
According to the Clarifications, the period from 30 March to 30 April 2020, which was declared to be non-working by the Decree of the Russian President, does not extend the terms of performance of obligations, including payment terms.
Limitation period
Different countries frame the exact description of the role of directors of a company in different terms. One feature is common to all – the obligation not to continue trading if a company is insolvent. Again, the detailed implications of doing so vary from one jurisdiction to another. However, this obligation not to continue wrongful trading is at the heart of trust in a market-based economic system
This quick guide summarises the duties that directors of companies incorporated in the Czech Republic are subject to, and how those duties change when the company is insolvent or at risk of being insolvent.
It also gives an overview of the personal risk to directors when the company is in financial difficulty.
Slimming down a company, corporate and financial restructuring will be on minds of many managers and company owners in the coming months.
In practice, when deciding to wind down a company, often a decision needs to be made whether to trigger a regular wind-down (likvidacija), a fast-track wind-down (prenehanje družbe po skrajšanem postopku) or a bankruptcy proceeding (stečaj). The main goal usually is to close down the company with less cost and no liability for the shareholder or the management.
1. What to address first