The recent judgment of HHJ Richard Williams, sitting as a High Court Judge, in Loveridge v Povey & Ors [2024] EWHC 329 (Ch) deals with what he described as a bitter dispute over the Loveridge family business. The business concerned was the operation of caravan parks in Worcestershire, Warwickshire and Shropshire, in part through five companies, and in part through three partnerships at will. The companies made use of interest-free inter-company loans repayable on demand
On May 25, 2023, Belgium enacted the Mobility Act, which transposes Directive (EU) 2019/2121 (the EU Mobility Directive). The EU Mobility Directive creates a comprehensive framework for corporate cross-border restructurings. It builds on the foundations of the 2005 Directive on cross-border mergers.
On 31 October 2023, Federal Law No. 51 of 2023 Promulgating the Financial and Bankruptcy Law (the Bankruptcy Law) was published in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Official Gazette, repealing the prior federal law on bankruptcy (Federal Law No. 9 of 2016, the Prior Law) and significantly developing the bankruptcy regime in the UAE.
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。
The presentation of the Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council harmonising certain aspects of insolvency law (COM/2022/702) marks a significant step towards the convergence of fundamental aspects of insolvency law throughout the EU, which is considered fundamental if cross-border investment and cross-border business relationships are to reach their potential.
New legislation hit the statue books on Wednesday bringing updates to the legislation governing special administrations for regulated water companies in England and Wales. The changes are timely (some may even consider them overdue) given the current market instability, and provide flexible options should the regime have to be used.
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