On 18 November 2009, the Commission approved a restructuring and asset relief package for KBC under the EC State aid rules. KBC is a Belgian integrated banking and insurance group, based primarily in Belgium and Central and Eastern Europe. KBC has received three aid measures to support it during the economic crisis: in December 2008 a recapitalisation of €3.5 billion; in June 2009, a second recapitalisation of €3.5 billion and an asset relief measure on a portfolio of Collateralised Debt Obligations (“CDO”). Approval of these measures was subject to KBC submitting a restructuring plan.

Yesterday, Dexia S.A., a European bank that was rescued by the French and Belgian governments in September 2008, announced that it would no longer rely on state guarantees for future funding. All debt instruments issued prior to June 30, 2010 will remain guaranteed by the government pursuant to their terms.

Last week, the European Commission (EC) announced that it has decided to further review Dexia’s restructuring plan under EC Treaty state aid rules to “establish whether the restructuring plan for the Dexia group will restore the group's long-term viability.” The plan includes a €6.4 billion capital injection, announced in

Usual Luxembourg security package

Luxembourg is one of the leading domiciles worldwide for international investment portfolio acquisition vehicles.

Acquisition financing are usually secured against the assets and cash flows of the target company as well as of the buyout vehicle.

In practice, given that a Luxembourg holding company generally does not have any operational activities, shares, receivables and cash on bank are the most important assets to cover.

As the outbreak of COVID-19 continues to develop, unprecedented issues are affecting the private equity industry. We have identified certain challenges both on a fund and portfolio company level, and measures that will be implemented by the Dutch government that can help you and your portfolio companies to survive the COVID-19 crisis.

Would you like to view the most important topics, measures and tips we have selected and our dedicated private equity team? Read the pdf-file below.

The Supreme Court’s decision in McIntosh v Fisk has confirmed how the courts will deal with claw back claims under the voidable transactions regime in the context of Ponzi schemes. Liquidators’ recoveries will be limited to the fictitious profits for which there was no value given.

Late last week, the Governing Committee of the Fund for Orderly Bank Restructuring (FROB) met to discuss the restructuring of Caja de Ahorros y Monte de Piedad de Cordoba (CajaSur).

In BNY Corporate Trustee Services Limited v Eurosail–UK 2007–3BL Plc and others, the Court of Appeal ruled on the interpretation of the so-called "balance-sheet" test of insolvency under section 123(2) of the Insolvency Act 1986. This is essentially that a company is deemed unable to pay its debts if the value of its assets is less than the amount of its liabilities, taking into account its contingent and prospective liabilities. This appears to be the first reported case on the interpretation of the balance-sheet test of insolvency.

Philip Bell v Philip Long, Andrew Thomson, PKF and Weatherall Green & Smith (North) Limited [2008] EWHC 1273 (Ch)

Background

The receiver's duty to exercise care in disposing of the company's assets and to ensure he obtains the best price reasonably obtainable at the time of sale was considered recently in the English case of Bell v Long & Others.

The recent financial collapse has provided a strategic opportunity for healthy financial institutions, and non-traditional investors, to capitalize on the misfortune of failing banks. The FDIC is accelerating this process by revamping its loss share program. This program gives prospective buyers of failing institutions billions of dollars in government guarantees for risking the purchase of a failing bank, inclusive of all “toxic” assets.