引言
香港法院最近在Re Ando Credit Ltd [2020] HKCFI 2775一案中,首次批准一家香港公司任命临时清盘人[1],并明确旨在允许该临时清盘人向中国内地法院寻求内地法律的承认和执行。
引言:近期某集团破产清算案中,关于债务人与境外基金债权人之间因“维好协议”引发的纠纷事项,上海金融法院作出裁定,对境外债权人在香港特别行政区取得的对该债务人的胜诉判决予以认可,鉴此该境外债权人的债权有望在破产程序中获得确认。而其他破产案件中,管理人对境外投资人基于“维好协议”的债权作出不予确认的决定。由此,关于“维好协议”项下的债权人应如何主张权利、在“维好提供方”破产的情况下可否享有破产债权人地位并参与破产程序等问题众说纷纭。为此,本文将从“维好协议”的性质入手,在境内“维好提供方”破产语境下,阐述“维好协议”项下债权人可以主张权利的路径,并分析各救济途径在司法实践中的可行性。
一、“维好协议”的性质分析
(一)何谓“维好协议”
第一部分:向香港特别行政区和中国内地客户介绍孤儿SPV打包重组交易
Part 1: Introduction to orphan SPV repackaging transactions for Hong Kong SAR and Mainland China clients
This article was written by Richard Mazzochi, Minny Siu, Angus Sip and Ryan Iskandar
With growing competition and global market uncertainties in recent years, businesses may experience operational and financial challenges, resulting in debt defaults. A creditor is entitled to petition for the bankruptcy and liquidate the debtor’s assets in order to try to achieve a maximum recovery. Statistics published by the Official Receiver’s Office noted 7,062 petitions for compulsory liquidation and bankruptcy between January and October 2019. In this client alert, we discuss two significant and recent judgments in respect of insolvency law given by the Hong Kong* courts.
近年市场竞争及经营环境不确定性持续增加的情况下,不少企业有可能面临营运及财务困难,导致债务违约的情况有上升的趋势。如果债务人资不抵债,债权人有权利用破产清盘的程序接管债务人的资产并尽量实现回收最大化。根据香港*破产管理署公布的统计数字,在2019年1月至10月期间,强制公司清盘案及破产案呈请的数字达到7,062宗。我们藉此介绍近期香港法院就破产清盘颁发的两个重要判决。
1. 仲裁协议的存在是否会影响破产清盘程序的开展?
香港上诉法院近期在But Ka Chon v Interactive Brokers LLC [2019] HKCA 873一案中,考虑了债权相关的合同中约定有仲裁条款管辖的情况下,债权人利用法院破产清盘程序的权利会否受限。由于很多的商业协议均载有仲裁条款,法院的判决对债权人的权利及可采取的救济手段有重要意义。
在该案中,上诉人(证券公司客户,即债务人)与被上诉人(证券公司,即债权人)签订的客户协议约定双方之间的争议以仲裁解决。由于上诉人没有偿还保证金账户的欠款,债权人在香港法院申请上诉人破产。上诉人以双方已经约定仲裁为其中一个理由,请求上诉法院撤销债权人发出的法定偿债书。
近年市场竞争及经营环境不确定性持续增加的情况下,不少企业有可能面临营运及财务困难,导致债务违约的情况有上升的趋势。如果债务人资不抵债,债权人有权利用破产清盘的程序接管债务人的资产并尽量实现回收最大化。根据香港破产管理署公布的统计数字,在2019年1月至10月期间,强制公司清盘案及破产案呈请的数字达到7,062宗。我们藉此介绍近期香港法院就破产清盘颁发的两个重要判决。
1. 仲裁协议的存在是否会影响破产清盘程序的开展?
香港上诉法院近期在But Ka Chon v Interactive Brokers LLC [2019] HKCA 873一案中,考虑了债权相关的合同中约定有仲裁条款管辖的情况下,债权人利用法院破产清盘程序的权利会否受限。由于很多的商业协议均载有仲裁条款,法院的判决对债权人的权利及可采取的救济手段有重要意义。
在该案中,上诉人(证券公司客户,即债务人)与被上诉人(证券公司,即债权人)签订的客户协议约定双方之间的争议以仲裁解决。由于上诉人没有偿还保证金账户的欠款,债权人在香港法院申请上诉人破产。上诉人以双方已经约定仲裁为其中一个理由,请求上诉法院撤销债权人发出的法定偿债书。
Consider this situation: a dispute has arisen between two parties in relation to an agreement which is subject to an arbitration clause. Separately, a winding up application has been made against one of the parties to the arbitration in the jurisdiction in which it is incorporated. An arbitral award is obtained against the potentially insolvent company. That company has assets in Hong Kong, against which the creditor is now seeking to enforce their rights.
In the wake of the global financial crisis, Hong Kong’s key financial regulators, the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) and the Insurance Authority (IA), have jointly issued a consultation paper (Paper) that outlines proposals for establishing a resolution regime for significant financial institutions (FIs) that are in crisis or likely to collapse.
Foreign companies are frequently used to hold assets or other investments in Hong Kong. Some of these foreign companies are not registered under Part XI of the Companies Ordinance (“CO”) (“Unregistered Companies”). There are various reasons for not registering foreign companies in Hong Kong, including confidentiality and tax benefits. However, there may be some drawbacks to this approach.