Introduction

The value and operation of floating charges as securities for creditors in restructurings have been the subject of several Supreme Court rulings. However, the question remains as to the value that the receivable of a floating charge creditor must have in order to be considered a secured debt in a restructuring and therefore spared from the restructuring measures that apply to unsecured debts – in particular, the cut on debt capital.

The Eastern Finland Court of Appeal recently ruled on a bankruptcy estate's liability for a mutual real estate company's maintenance charges.

Facts

The Bankruptcy Act has been amended by a statute which came into force on 1 July 2019. The amendments aim to simplify and accelerate bankruptcy proceedings. This article focuses on amendments that affect the position of creditors located outside Finland.

Lodgement of claims

Retention of title clauses are clauses by which the title to property to be sold is retained by the seller until the purchase price has been paid in full. This is an exception to the general rule provided in the Finnish Sale of Goods Act, according to which the title to property is transferred to the buyer at the same time as possession.

Finland implemented the EU resolution and recovery regime for credit institutions and investment firms by the deadline at the turn of the year. The Finnish regulations apply to all local banks and intermediaries until 1 January 2016 when the most significant Finnish financial institutions will become part of the EU’s Single Resolution Mechanism (SRM).

Introduction

Under Finnish law, retention of title can be based on either a separate condition in a sales agreement or a specific agreement referred to in the Hire-Purchase Act.

Due to the economic downturn there has been a rapid growth in debt claims and bankruptcy cases in the Finnish courts. Compared to 2008, almost 40% more bankruptcy proceedings and twice as many debt claims have been started this year.

ISSUE FOUR 2017 FUNDING IN FOCUS Are Asian arbitral centres going to surpass the old continent? PwC Damages: an expert’s view Who wins, where and why? Stockholm, Sweden, Scandinavia Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer 60 seconds Q&A with Erin Miller Rankin Brick Court Chambers Competition damages litigation in London pre- and post- Brexit Wilberforce Chambers Getting at trust assets and piercing the corporate veil Disputes funding for corporates CONTENTS Are Asian arbitral centres going to surpass the old continent?