In Germany, the duty to file for insolvency if there is illiquidity (Zahlungsunfähigkeit) and/or over-indebtedness (Überschuldung) was suspended under certain circumstances due to the COVID-19 pandemic until the end of September 2020.
The German Federal Government has passed a limited extension of the suspension period regarding over-indebtedness. We summarise the new legislation and outline the key takeaway for your business below.
What does the new legislation say?
The German Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection has recently presented the longawaited draft bill to introduce a new pre-insolvency business stabilization and restructuring regime into German law.1 The availability of this ground-breaking new "German Scheme" will significantly change the German restructuring landscape and elevate it to an internationally competitive level.
In a recent decision, the German Federal Supreme Court addressed the applicability of the Business Judgement Rule to insolvency administrators in Germany and rejected the applicability of the rule in the specific case that was argued before it.
Last month, the German Federal Ministry of Justice published draft legislation that could fundamentally change the restructuring landscape in Germany.
An essential part of the law is the introduction of a corporate stabilisation and restructuring regime, which establishes a comprehensive legal framework for non-consensual out-of-court restructurings in Germany on the basis of the EU's 2019 restructuring directive.
Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection submits draft bill on preventive restructuring
Germany’s planned Stabilization and Restructuring Framework (Stabilisierungs- und Restrukturierungsrahmen) is essentially an independent, out-of-court tool to implement a restructuring process by means of a restructuring plan in order to avert insolvency proceedings. The debtor and supporting creditors can rely on certain procedural assistance in order to implement and enforce a restructuring plan with their majority despite resistance on the part of individual stakeholders.
On Friday 18 September 2020 the German Federal Ministry of Justice published draft legislation which has the potential of fundamentally changing the restructuring landscape in Germany.
An essential part of the law is the introduction of a corporate stabilisation and restructuring regime, which establishes a comprehensive legal framework for out-of-court restructurings in Germany on the basis of the EU Restructuring Directive of 20 June 2019 (Directive (EU) 2019/1023) (the Preventive Restructuring Framework).
. .1. はじめに Covid-19 の影響が残る 2020 年 6 月 26 日、英国新倒産法(Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020)が施行され、英国 倒産法の大改正が実施されました。英国新倒産法の最大の目的は、債務者フレンドリーな倒産制度の確立にあります。欧州の ファイナンスのハブとして機能する英国は、これまでは比較的、債権者フレンドリーな倒産制度を採用していましたが、新倒産法に より方向転換が図られています。 本ニューズレターでは、ファイナンスの視点から、英国倒産法を概説すると共に、英国新倒産法によるファイナンス実務への影 響を考察します 1 。 2. 英国企業倒産手続及びその適用範囲 (1) 英国企業倒産手続とモラトリアム 英国の企業倒産手続には、主として①清算手続(Liquidation 又は Winding up)、②会社任意整理(Company Voluntary Arrangement)、③スキームオブアレンジメント(Scheme of Arrangement)、④会社管理手続(Administration)及び⑤財産管理手続 (Receivership)があります。
On 26 June 2020 the Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020 (the Act) came into force. The Act included far-reaching wholescale reforms to the UK’s restructuring toolbox, including the introduction of the restructuring plan, which has the potential to be a gamechanger for restructurings.
It also included temporary measures dealing with COVID-19 impacts on companies. The two most significant temporary measures for companies facing financial difficulties as a result of the COVID 19 pandemic were:
Under section 64 of the German Companies Act (GmbHG), the managing director of a company is obliged to reimburse payments which have been made after the company becomes illiquid or over-indebted but not when the payments are made with the diligence of a prudent businessman. Such permitted payments include those that are necessary for production, internal operation, and the maintenance of the business concern.