维好协议还好吗? 前 言 维好协议(KEEPWELL DEED)通常由在中国 1 注册成立的 母 公司签 署,为其 境 外 子 公司的融 资 进 行增信(CREDIT ENHANCEMENT)(见图表),最初常见于债券市场,近年 来也经常出现在贷款交易中。 提供维好承诺的母公司承诺维持其境外债务人子公司的财 务健康,以增强债权人对债务人的信心。 维 好协议 通常包含的承诺有:要求 维 好提 供方维持境外 维好协议与保证的主要区别 维好协议和保证有以下的重要分别 : 1. 仅就本文而言,“中国”或“中国内地”指中华人民共和国,不包括香港及澳门特别行政区和台湾。“境内”及“境外”有相应的意思。 债务人的净资产为正值、为其提供偿还债务的流动资金、 以 及保 持其对该等境 外债务人的管控 权和所有权等。其 中一些承诺或受制于取得相关中国政府部门的审批将资 金 汇出境 外的前 提 条 件,并且 维 好提 供 方必须尽最 大努 力获 得该 等审 批。除 签 署维 好协议 外,维 好 提 供 方通常 还 会 签 署股 权 购买承 诺(EQUITY INTEREST PURCHASE UNDERTAKINGS),即维好提供方承诺购买其境外债务人 子公司持有的若干股权,以便将资金(即购买对价)汇出境外。
引言
2020年10月5日国务院发布的《关于进一步提高上市公司质量的意见》(国发〔2020〕14号)中明确规定,“上市公司实施破产重整的,应当提出解决资金占用、违规担保问题的切实可行方案”。2022年3月,沪深交易所分别发布《上海证券交易所上市公司自律监管指引第13号——破产重整等事项》《深圳证券交易所上市公司自律监管指引第14号——破产重整等事项》,进一步明确了上市公司在申请破产重整时,需要提交包含资金占用情况和违规担保情况的自查报告。至此,上市公司破产重整中两大“红线问题”暨资金占用及违规担保问题,已被提到了空前的高度。在重整前或重整中解决资金占用及违规担保问题已成为法院受理上市公司破产重整的必要条件。
资金占用系指非经营性资金占用,即上市公司控股股东及其关联方非经营性占用上市公司资金,以及变相利用经营性资金往来的形式达到实质非经营性占用上市公司资金的行为。违规担保,系指上市公司及其控股子公司违反法律法规规定或公司章程规定,或超过规定限额对外提供担保的行为。对于陷入危机的上市公司而言,违规担保往往表现为上市公司为控股股东及其关联方提供担保,也是控股股东变相占用上市公司资金的一种形式。因此,资金占用及违规担保问题在上市公司破产重整中往往相伴相生,需要一并解决。
The concept of an ‘insolvent trust’ is somewhat of a paradox. A trust is not a separate legal entity in the way that companies are and, as such, cannot be insolvent in the technical sense. Trustees legally own assets in a trust for the benefit of beneficiaries.
5 Most Impactful Hong Kong Restructuring and Insolvency cases in 2023
2023 was a busy year for the restructuring and insolvency industry in Hong Kong. we had a ground breaking decision of the Court of Final Appeal (CFA) ruling on the conflict between dispute resolution clauses and the Court’s jurisdiction to wind-up/bankrupt a debtor. We also saw the court extend and strengthen its reach to assist insolvency officeholders (whether appointed in Hong Kong or elsewhere).
It is a rare occasion that one can be assured with certainty that, if they file a motion with a bankruptcy court, it will be granted. But, in the Third Circuit, that is exactly what will happen if a creditor or other party in interest moves for an examiner to be appointed under Section 1104(c) of the Bankruptcy Code. Once considered to be within the discretion of a bankruptcy court “as is appropriate,” the appointment of an examiner is now guaranteed if the statutory predicates are fulfilled according to the Third Circuit Court of Appeals.
In one of the most highly anticipated judgments in the European restructuring market in recent years, on 23 January 2024, the English Court of Appeal overturned the High Court’s decision sanctioning the Adler restructuring plan.1
Dispute Resolution analysis: In November 2023, Mr Justice Miles sanctioned restructuring plans under section 901F of the Companies Act 2006 in respect of two companies within the Atento group. The plans had significant creditor support, did not involve any cross-claim cram down and achieved a demonstrably better outcome for creditors than the alternative, a group-wide liquidation.
Re Atento UK Ltd [2023] EWHC 3076 (Ch))
What are the practical implications of this case?
Fraudulent trading is both a civil and criminal offence. The recent judgment of the High Court in Bouchier v Booth provided a helpful reminder of the principles that a Court will apply when considering whether directors have acted in a manner that constitutes fraudulent trading and the high threshold for proving fraudulent conduct.
在我国商事实践中,由于清算相关主体未必能严格履行清算义务,以及解散清算制度本身的不完备性等原因,导致存在大量公司自行解散清算并注销,却仍遗留部分债务未处理的情况。此时债务人的公司法人人格已经终止,不再是民事责任承担主体,债权人只能选择其他主体主张权利,这无疑增加了债权追偿的难度,在司法实践中引发了大量争议。
2024年7月1日,新《公司法》即将实施,新法一方面对现行的解散清算制度进行了优化,明确了以董事为主的清算主体责任;另一方面则强化了股东的出资责任,特别规定股东的最长认缴出资期限为五年,且要求存量公司逐步调整至该期限内,这预计将引发大量未实缴出资的公司通过解散清算程序进行注销,从而带来更多公司注销后遗留债务的追偿难题。基于这种新形势,笔者根据近年来代理不良债权追偿项目的经验,梳理并归纳了对遗留债务的追偿路径,以期为面临类似情况的债权人提供参考和借鉴。
一、《公司法》修订与遗留债务的追偿现状
Há algum tempo o Brasil tem sido o maior receptor de investimento estrangeiro direto na América Latina devido ao seu tamanho (7ª maior economia e 2ª maior população do hemisfério ocidental), a sua riqueza de recursos naturais e relativa estabilidade política. A maioria dos investimentos no Brasil proporciona aos investidores um retorno atraente. O paíspode apresentar desafios para os investidores, especialmente os que não estão familiarizados com os desafios do “custo brasil” (ou seja, o alto custo para fazer negócios no Brasil) ou seu ambiente de negócios único.