The Government has made a further extension until 31 December 2024 of one of the significant interim measures brought in by the Companies (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Covid-19) Act 2020Opens in new window (the "Covid Act") that permitted companies and co-operatives to hold annual, general and creditor meetings virtually.
We wrote earlier this year about the rise in insolvencies in the UK at the end of the summer, as persistent inflation, the pain of increasing interest rates, higher energy bills and the end of pandemic measures all took their toll.
In Lehman Brothers (PTG) Ltd (In Administration), the court considered whether to grant an order extending the administration of Lehman Brothers (PTG) Ltd (the “Company”) for a further two years and in doing so, provided some useful observations about when a court will grant an extension where a company is in distribution mode.
In a recent case, the Victorian Supreme Court said that an accountant ‘would know well that a statutory demand involves strict time frames for response and potentially very significant consequences for a company’. The accountant failed to take appropriate steps to inform the company of the statutory demand.
The statutory demand process
If a company does not comply with a statutory demand within 21 days of service, it is deemed to be insolvent and the creditor may proceed to wind up the company.
Judgments on claims for fraudulent trading (s 213 Insolvency Act 1986) do not come along every day: they are hard to make good. A recent example is, however, that of Charles Morrison (sitting as a Deputy Judge of the High Court) in Bouchier & Anor v Booth & Anor [2023] EWHC 3195 (Ch). It runs to 281 paragraphs and covers a wide range of law and fact.
During summer 2023 the Swedish Government Official Report (SOU 2023:34) (the “Report”) was published proposing, inter alia, the removal of the requirements of a limited liability company to prepare a control balance sheet (Sw. Kontrollbalansräkning) and eventually enter into liquidation upon shortage of own capital. Instead, the suggestion was that the emphasis should be shifted more towards liquidity and solvency. The Report has now been through a referral process and by 15 December 2023 various referral bodies had submitted their responses to the Report.
A Members Voluntary Liquidation ("MVL") is a process undertaken by a solvent company to wind up its affairs in an orderly manner when the company has concluded its activities and the shareholders wish to distribute the remaining assets amongst themselves.
To avail of a MVL, the company must be solvent i.e. the directors must be able to execute a statutory declaration that they are of the opinion that the company will be able to pay its debts in full within 12 months of the commencement of the winding up.
The steps involved
随着国际形势与经济环境日益复杂严峻，中资美元债市场动荡加剧，频频爆雷，违约数量和金额不断创历史新高。本系列文章第二部分系从英国法和中国内地法探讨中资美元债所涉增信措施——维好协议。对此，笔者已在第二部分上篇中与各位读者分享了英国法下维好协议的效力判定等问题，下篇则将视角回归中国内地法，探寻以下问题：维好协议是否具有约束力？是否构成保证担保？涉及维好协议的域外裁判能否获得中国内地法院的承认与执行？以期为妥善处理和解决适用中国内地法的相关争议探寻参考路径。
第二部分 发债增信担保措施之——维好协议（下）
3. 维好协议在中国内地法律及司法实践中的归类与定性
3.1. 维好协议的产生背景及最新监管政策
Der Aufsichtsrat ist ein Kontrollorgan. Er überwacht die Geschäftsführung. Unterlaufen ihm Fehler, haften die Mitglieder des Aufsichtsrats persönlich.
Aufsichtsräte gibt es in deutschen Unternehmen seit über 150 Jahren. Das Gesetz, betreffend die Kommanditgesellschaften auf Aktien und die Aktiengesellschaften vom 11. Juni 1870 bestimmte:
On 1 November, the Supreme Court issued its judgment in R (on the application of Palmer) v Northern Derbyshire Magistrates Court and Another.
Background