On 27 December 2016, the Board of the Romanian Financial Supervisory Authority (“FSA”) analysed the status of the insurance and reinsurance undertaking LIG Insurance SA, ultimately, commencing bankruptcy procedures against LIG Insurance SA and withdrawing its license to carry on insurance and reinsurance activity (FSA Decision 2347/2016).
According to the FSA, on 31 October 2016 the company had: (i) negative own capital of RON 56.2 million; and (ii) a liquidity ratio of 0.44, resulting in concern over its capacity to cover its due obligations using own funds.
From an economic perspective, especially in the current business environment, contractual freedom is the best legal method to satisfy the legitimate interests of individuals and to ensure the general benefit and, consequently, social progress. From this point of view, in any activity, every business is seeking to make a profit. Achieving this depends on a series of determinant factors as well as a certain number of risks which any business should assume when implementing its objectives.
An absolute novelty under the Romanian legislation, Law no. 151/2015 on insolvency of natural persons (“Personal Insolvency Law“) was adopted by the Romanian Parliament back in June 2015. Due to certain administrative reasons (e.g. need of regional administrative bodies specialized on the personal insolvency of natural persons, lack of trained personnel and financial resources), the entry into force of the Personal Insolvency Law has already been postponed three times until now.
The Romanian legal framework on insolvency procedure has been consistently improved following the enactment of Insolvency Law no. 85 (Law 85), which entered into force on 21 July 2006.
Background
Every business must manage risk. Whenever such risk turns into reality, the consequences must be accepted and declared for the well being of the wider economic environment. The purpose of this article is to analyse the legal framework of the commencement of insolvency proceedings at a debtor’s request and the sanctions applicable when such a framework is surpassed.
The Government Ordinance no. 10/2004 on the bankruptcy of credit institutions has been recently amended by the Government Emergency Ordinance no. 12/2012, published in the Official Journal no. 593 dated 20 August 2012.
The amendment refers to the order of distribution of the bankruptcy proceeds and repeals the former article regarding subordinated claims, insofar as such claims referred to loans made by shareholders holding more than 10% of the share capital of the bankrupt credit institution.
Since the enactment of the new insolvency law in 2006, its proceedings have been amended many times to improve and simplify bankruptcy. In the past few years, the economic downturn has caused more and more companies to request court protection with the hope of undergoing reorganisation, realising that insolvency need not be the death of the company but, rather, a second chance.
The New Civil Procedure Code (NCPC) was postponed several times before eventually coming into force on 15 February 2013. The legislators anticipate that the new law will speed up proceedings and offer a greater level of protection to civil rights.
The New Civil Procedure Code (NCPC) came into force on 15 February 2013 and is applicable to all enforcement proceedings that commenced after this date.
Creditors may begin forced execution if they have an enforceable title. During such proceedings several incidents may occur, which may result in either the impossibility or the delay to the full protection of the creditor’s rights.
Statute of limitations
The New Civil Procedure Code (NCPC) came into force on 15 February 2013 and is applicable to all enforcement proceedings that commenced after this date.