The toughening of lockdown measures in Spain and resulting closure of all business activities not classed as essential makes it absolutely necessary to keep very much in sight this week the measures approved in the labor and employment field. In the domain of corporate law and commercial contracts, the decision governing the first tranche of guarantees to soften the economic effects of the crisis has already been published in the Spanish Official State Gazette (BOE). As for tax matters, the personal income tax and wealth tax season is about to start.
Spanish Congress debates a legislative proposal (Propuesta de Ley) to reinforce the fight against late payment in response to the European Union demand for the correct implementation of the Insolvency Directive (2011/7/EU). This proposal would establish a penalty system against defaulting companies.
February 2017 N° 19 Fondo Atlante and the future for the financial institutions Tommaso dalla Massara Some news on insolvency procedures Fabio Marelli EU Commission first draft of ePrivacy Regulation Rocco Panetta Insurance Distribution Directive Guido Foglia ACROSS THE EUNIVERSE 2 In this Issue Editorial Giovanni Moschetta, Bernard O'Connor 3 What's App in Europe 4 Bernard O'Connor The next big thing for European data protection: EU Commission publishes first draft of ePrivacy Regulation to be discussed during GDPR transition period 6 Rocco Panetta, Francesco Armaroli Critical features of
schönherr journal www.schoenherr.eu 02/2017 S cílem harmonizovat a posílit ochranu proti odcizení obchodního tajemství na úrovni EU byla minulý rok přijata Směrnice Evropského parlamentu a Rady (EU) 2016/943 ze dne 8. června 2016 o ochraně nezveřejněného know-how a obchodních informací (obchodního tajemství) před jejich neoprávněným získáním, využitím a zpřístupněním (dále jen „Směrnice“). V návaznosti na zavádění Směrnice do českého právního řádu dozná určitých změn dosud platná právní ochrana obchodního tajemství.
On 23 February, the European Commission (“Commission”) opened an in-depth investigation, to verify whether the measures notified in the context of the restructuring of the Czech national flag carrier Czech Airlines are in line with the EU rescue and restructuring aid guidelines. The measures comprise a loan of CZK 2.5 billion (around €94 million) granted by the State-owned undertaking Osinek under allegedly preferential conditions, its later de-collateralisation and transformation into equity capital and a potential guarantee for the purchase of an airplane.
The UK government’s response to COVID-19 has already taken the economy into new territory, and whilst measures put in place may delay or alter the approach of companies seeking insolvency-based protections, a large number of (contentious) restructurings and insolvencies is inevitable.
We anticipate three phases, each of which creates various risks:
(i) The current phase, during which companies are able to take advantage of government support, or relaxed laws or rules around insolvencies, to continue to operate during the COVID-19 lockdown.
Entwurf eines Gesetzes zur Verbesserung der Rechtssicherheit bei Anfechtungen nach der Insolvenzordnung und nach dem Anfechtungsgesetz
The EU Decision
The EU Commission has held on January 26, 2011 that the so called restructuring privilege offered by German corporate tax law, which allows corporations in a distressed financial situation to continue to set off tax loss carry forwards against future profits even if their shareholder structure has substantially changed, is incompatible with EU State Aid provisions.
The recipients, which have applied the restructuring privilege, are now threatened with the reclaim of the tax benefits.
On 26 January 2011 the European Commission declared the so-called Restructuring Clause (Sanierungsklausel) (Sec. 8c (1a) of the German Corporate Income Tax Act (CTA)) as inconsistent with EU funding guidelines. The decision of the European Commission is criticized by national experts and stresses the German economy with a hardly tolerable uncertainty as regards tax issues in restructurings.
The impact of insolvency proceedings on arbitral proceedings is becoming an increasingly important consideration for parties. Two scenarios can be generally envisioned: (i) a company files for insolvency while it is engaged in arbitral proceedings; or (ii) arbitral proceedings are initiated after insolvency proceedings have commenced. In both scenarios, the parties need to assess how the insolvency proceeding affects the arbitral proceedings. This article assesses the impact of insolvency proceedings initiated in Germany on foreign arbitral proceedings.