Imagine that a debtor voluntarily concludes a transaction with a third party where he knows (or should know) that it hinders the creditor’s possibilities of collecting the debt. In civil law countries, a creditor can invoke the nullification of that legal act by means of a so-called actio pauliana. This raises the question of which court has jurisdiction in the case of an international dispute, regarding an actio pauliana, that is instituted by a creditor against a third party?

Cases involving the application of the Council Regulation (EC) No. 1346 / 2000 (the ‘Regulation’) have been rare before the Maltese Courts since Malta joined the European Union in May 2004. Thus far, the only instance where an issue involving the interpretation of the Regulation arose involved a maritime case – The Foreign Economic Technical Co. Operative Company of China et vs m.v.

Introduction Following recent proposed changes to UK restructuring and insolvency law, a new European Union (“EU”) directive concerning restructuring within EU Member States proposed by the European Commission (“Commission”) has reached an advanced stage.

Im Rahmen der Globalisierung sind Unternehmen regelmig nicht nur im Grndungsland, sondern in mehreren Rechtsordnungen ttig. Fr den Fall, dass ein Unternehmen scheitert, sind daher bestimmte Regeln erforderlich, die ein eventuelles Insolvenzverfahren vorhersehbar machen. In der EU gibt es derzeit zwei Verordnungen1, die fr die Zeit vor bzw. die Zeit ab 24.06.2015 gelten.

Grenzberschreitende Insolvenz in der EU

 1. Introduction

The new Regulation follows on the path of Regulation No. 1346/2000, representing the last step of a process which has been started years ago. European Union authorities resorted also to other means in this direction: aside to the Regulation, a Recommendation has been issued in 2014, inviting Member States to adopt internal procedures more favourable to restructuring (rather than liquidating) distressed businesses.

The EU Regulation on Insolvency Law 1346/2000 (EIR) was considered a milestone in the cross-border coordination of national insolvency proceedings. The recast of the EU Regulation on Insolvency Law 2015/848, applicable to insolvency proceedings opened after 26 June 2017, considers substantial developments in national insolvency laws.

Background

From 26 June 2017 an enhanced EU regime governing the commencement, recognition and enforcement of insolvency and restructuring proceedings throughout the EU will come into effect. The principal aim of the new regime is to encourage a corporate rescue culture within the EU.

Restructuring an international group of companies in Europe continues to be challenging. While companies can transact business freely across European borders, coordination between the stakeholders involved in a cross-border restructuring has proved to be difficult. The cross-border restructuring of a corporate group is often complicated by a multitude of individual liquidation proceedings spread throughout the various countries in which the group is active.

Fraud victims and their legal counsel have gained an important, new tool for reaching across the Continent with a single ex parte order that will freeze bank accounts in multiple EU countries:  the new European Account Preservation Order. Under the EAPO, with a single freeze order, courts in any member state may, as part of any civil or commercial proceeding, freeze a debtors’ bank accounts up to a specified amount, EU-wide, with the except

For the benefit of our clients and friends investing in European distressed opportunities, our European Network is sharing some current developments.

Recent Developments