On 17 May 2011, the GC annulled a Commission decision requiring recovery of state aid from Polish steel producer Technologie Buczek (TB). The case concerned the actions taken by the Polish authorities in implementing a plan to restructure the steel industry. The GC found that the Commission had been correct to find that TB had benefited from a decision by the Polish authorities not to apply for bankruptcy but to allow the company to continue to operate without repaying its debts.

In November 2008, the European Commission (EC) found state aid granted by the Polish government to two Polish state-controlled shipyards (Stocznia Szczecinska Nowa and Stocznia Gdynia), illegal under EU single market rules and requested its return to the government with accrued interest. The EC decided however to postpone the enforcement of the return of state aid for seven months until 6 June 2009 to allow for the prior public sale of the shipyards’ assets at market price.

The Polish metal tools manufacturer, Bison Bial (Bison), will be able to receive state aid amounting to €8.2m in order to enable the company to carry out a restructuring programme to improve the firm’s economic viability. After Bison entered into financial difficulties, Poland notified the European Commission that it wanted to provide aid to the company. The Commission decided that such aid was compatible with EU state aid rules, provided that the investment programme is fully implemented and the company sells one of its production divisions by the end of 2009.

On 14 March 2008 the Court of First Instance (CFI) issued two orders rejecting applications for interim measures by two subsidiaries of a Polish steel producer (Buczek) to suspend the application of a Commission recovery decision pending the final judgment in the case. Between 1997 and 2003 Poland was granted a derogation from the general prohibition on restructuring aid to the steel sector. The derogation was conditional upon Poland implementing a restructuring plan. Aid was provided to Buczek, who failed to properly implement its restructuring plan and went bankrupt in 2006.

HR Colsultancy

JOBS ACT - Fixed term employment contract: potential fines for those companies with 20% or more of their employees on fixed term contracts

Current proposed amendments by the Jobs Act include (i) replacing the fine for conversion of fixed term contracts exceeding the 20% limit into open-ended contracts with a fine to be paid to the employee and (ii) the clarification of the reintroduction of basic training for apprentices. 

General remarks

In the case of syndicated loans involving Polish security providers there are two legal concepts that are commonly used to secure the lenders' rights under the finance documents:

Changes in law What’s new in the Polish law? An overview of selected changes in regulations and their impact on business Wierzbowski Eversheds | 2016 – Changes in law 2 Introduction We are pleased to present to you our brochure reviewing the changes in law that may soon have a significant impact on your business. The publication contains commentaries and analyses gathered from the perspective of what in our view may be important in 2016. The materials also reflect the issues our law firm encounters every day.

In a nutshell, arbitration must fulfil two main aims to be attractive to its potential users: enforceability of the award must be certain and proceedings must be efficient. In light of those aims, the year 2015 brought two major changes to arbitration proceedings in Poland. Firstly, the amendment of the Bankruptcy Law put an end to all the doubts that arose with regard to the effect of the bankruptcy proceedings of a party to an arbitration agreement on the validity of such agreement.

Saudi Arabia takes out $10 billion in bank loans

Before Polish insolvency law was significantly amended in January 2016, restructurings were extremely rare, with corporate insolvencies ending in liquidation in more than 90% of all cases. At that point, the number of insolvencies ending in the liquidation of the debtor’s assets significantly exceeded successful restructurings – the focus had been mainly on satisfying the creditors – and allowing the debtor to continue his business was not a major priority for the legislator and the courts.