Mark Goodman, Paul Kennedy, Guy Cowan and Katie Logan, Campbells
This is an extract from the 2022 edition of GRR's the Americas Restructuring Review. The whole publication is available here.
In summary
The Australian Sawmilling Co Pty Ltd (in liq) v Environment Protection Authority [2021] VSCA 294
The Victorian Court of Appeal’s decision in The Australian Sawmilling Co Pty Ltd (in liq) v Environment Protection Authority [2021] VSCA 294 casts significant doubt on liquidators’ capacity to rely upon section 568 of the Corporations Act to disclaim environmental liabilities, despite the absence of any involvement of the liquidator in the creation of those liabilities.
The High Court recently extended the bankruptcy period of an Irish businessman to a total of 13 years.
The usual bankruptcy term is one year, however this can be extended in cases of non-cooperation or non-disclosure of assets with the maximum term being 15 years.
In the year leading up to lockdown in March 2020, there were 18,000 corporate insolvencies. The year following lockdown, this figure dramatically dropped by over a third to 11,000.
With the significant reduction in corporate insolvencies, it could be suggested that the Government support has actually been too effective and companies which ought to have entered an insolvency process have avoided doing so due to a mixture of financial support and restrictions on creditors, in particular landlords.
Se amplía la moratoria concursal hasta el 30 de junio de 2022
El 24 de noviembre se publicó en el Boletín Oficial del Estado (BOE) el Real Decreto-ley 27/2021, de 23 de noviembre, por el que se prorrogan determinadas medidas económicas para apoyar la recuperación. Dicha norma recoge, entre otros aspectos, la extensión, hasta 2022, de la aplicación de ciertas medidas favorables a las empresas, en materia concursal, societaria, administrativa y de avales y ayudas públicas.
According to a recent decision by the High Court in R (on the application of Palmer) v Northern Derbyshire Magistrates Court, an Administrator is an officer of a company in administration for the purpose of collective redundancy rules.
This means an Administrator can be prosecuted personally for failing to notify the Insolvency Service of collective redundancies being made by the company in administration.
Background law
A few changes to the Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure became effective on December 1, 2021. The most noteworthy change relates to Bankruptcy Rule 9036, which addresses notice and service by electronic transmission.
In addition to the information and consultation obligations linked to their general responsibilities,1Social and Economic Committees (“Comité Social et Economique” or "CSE") in French workplaces, which replace and merge all the employee representative bodies, staff representatives, works council, and health, safety and working conditions committee, must be informed and consulted in the event of a “restructuring and downsizing.”2What is their scope of intervention?
Cases Requiring Consultation
Selección de las principales resoluciones sobre reestructuraciones e insolvencias.
Homologada la refinanciación del Grupo Naviera Armas
Auto del Juzgado de lo Mercantil núm. 1 de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria de 27 de octubre de 2021
Debtor's Right to Consensual Sale of Seized Property
On Tuesday, November 30, 2021, the Law numbered 7343 on the Amendment of Enforcement and Bankruptcy Code and Some Other Codes were promulgated in the Official Gazette numbered 31675 and entered into force on the date of promulgation in accordance with Article 5 of the same code.
Although several changes have been made regarding mentioned code, in the compulsory enforcement system for the first time. The debtor is authorized to consensually sell the seized property.