The new year will bring tremendous changes to the Polish insolvency regime as significant amendments to the Bankruptcy and Recovery Law (Journal of Laws 2015, No. 233, uniform text) come into force on 1 January 2016 (New Bankruptcy Law). The aim of the New Bankruptcy Law is to make existing legal instruments more effective and to help business entities survive financial stress or distress. 

Overview

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.

According to S&P Global fixed income research, EUR 3.7 trillion of rated European company debt is due to mature between mid-2017 and the end of 2022.This gives rise to anticipation that, in the coming years, the European financial markets will be increasingly driven by refinancing, restructuring and investment in distressed assets. Respondents to the survey “Changing tides: European M&A Outlook 2017” prepared by CMS in cooperation with Mergermarket in September 2017 have also remarked on this trend.

November 2017 saw the first successful pre-packaged bankruptcy of a wind farm operator following the introduction of this procedure to Polish bankruptcy law in January 2016. Thanks to a decision made by the bankruptcy court in Warsaw, the assets of the 6 MW wind farm in Korzęcin can now be taken over by a publicly listed company operating in the renewable energy sector.

One of the many questions asked by our clients is: “Does Polish law recognise the concept of ‘piercing the corporate veil?’” Is it possible to disregard the separate legal personality of a company or corporation and make shareholders liable for the debts of the company? This question has been asked since the introduction of the market economy in Poland (in 1989) and there is still no clear answer.

On April 9, 2015, the lower house of the Polish parliament adopted a new Restructuring Law. The main goal of the new law is to introduce an effective mechanism to restructure a debtor’s business and prevent its liquidation. Generally, the continuation of a business is more favorable to creditors, it preserves jobs and allows the uninterrupted execution of contracts.