Die neue Reform des Insolvenzanfechtungsrecht durch den Gesetzgeber löst einige Rechtsfragen des BAG und BGH zugunsten von Arbeitnehmern.
The second in a series on ‘the perfect restructuring’ in an employment law context, this article examines best practice for handling the kick-off with the works council for a business restructure from a German perspective.
By: Markus Janko
Member Firm: Kliemt.Arbeitsrecht
The third of a series on ‘the perfect restructuring’ in an employment law context, this article provides recommendations from a German perspective for conducting negotiations with the works council to reach a balance of interests agreement prior to and during the conciliation board phase of a restructuring.
By: Markus Janko
Firm: KLIEMT.HR Lawyers
Within German contract law, the principle of being bound by a contract (pacta sunt servanda), i.e. the obligation to fulfill agreements, applies. In case of the insolvency of one of the contractual parties, however, exceptions are made. Upon the opening of the insolvency proceedings, the principle of being bound by a contract is modified.
Im deutschen Vertragsrecht gilt das Prinzip der Vertragstreue (pacta sunt servanda), welches die Verpflichtung zur Erfüllung von Verträgen zum Gegenstand hat. Hiervon werden im Falle der Insolvenz einer Vertragspartei Ausnahmen gemacht. Mit Eröffnung des Insolvenzverfahrens wird das Prinzip der Vertragstreue modifiziert.
mayer brown 1 März | March 2018 Deutsches Insolvenzrecht Die Aufrechnung in der Insolvenz German Insolvency Law The right to set-off during insolvency proceedings 2 Deutsches Insolvenzrecht | German Insolvency Law Nach dem deutschen Insolvenzrecht besteht das Recht zur Aufrechnung des Insolvenzgläubigers auch in der Insolvenz des Schuldners fort, wenn er zur Zeit der Eröffnung des Insolvenzverfahrens kraft Gesetzes oder auf Grund einer Vereinbarung zur Aufrechnung berechtigt war. Zum Zeitpunkt der Insolvenzeröffnung bestehende Aufrechnungslagen sind somit „insolvenzfest“.
Bundesgesetz Nr. 286-FZ vom 30. September 2017 über die Einführung von Änderungen des zweiten Teils des Steuergesetzbuches und einiger Gesetzgebungsakte der Russischen Föderation
Hintergrund
Background
In cases where upstream or cross-stream securities are granted by a German limited liability company (”GmbH“), the German capital maintenance rules need to be considered. Under these rules assets that are required for the maintenance of GmbH’s registered share capital may not be paid out to the shareholders. This payout prohibition concerns not only payments, but also granting of securities in favour of loans granted to the shareholders. The managing directors of a GmbH are personally liable for payouts made in violation of these rules.
Under German law, there are strict legal obligations for the managing directors of an insolvent company to file for insolvency. Failure to comply exposes a managing director to civil and criminal liability. It is therefore important for managing directors to know how to test whether their company is insolvent. One of the legal reasons for insolvency is illiquidity and the second senate of the German Federal Civil Court (“BGH”) has, in a decision dated 19 December 2017 (II ZR 88/16), clarified a question regarding the illiquidity test.