Distressed transactions increasingly mark the Swiss M&A landscape. An important piece in the Swiss restructuring toolbox is the sale of parts or all of the business under court supervision during a composition moratorium. It has been used successfully in an increasing number of cases recently. Typically, the relevant part of the business is pre-packed – structured and prepared for sale – before being sold with court approval. As we anticipate more distressed M&A transactions in 2025, it is worthwhile exploring the intricacies and implications of the Swiss pre-pack.
Monthly Newsletter July 2024
Restructuring and Insolvency
Les hpitaux aux urgences La procdure concordataire comme possible outil d'assainissement
Josef Caleff, Olivia Wipf
Key Take-aways
1. De plus en plus d'hpitaux suisses se trouvent dans une situation financire difficile en raison de l'augmentation des cots.
2. Le conseil d'administration, en tant qu'organe de direction suprme d'un hpital organis sous forme de socit anonyme, est tenu d'examiner et, le cas chant, si ncessaire, de prendre des mesures d'assainissement.
Monthly Newsletter July 2024
Restructuring and Insolvency
Spitler auf der Notfallstation das Nachlassverfahren als mgliches Sanierungsinstrument
Josef Caleff, Olivia Wipf
Key Take-aways
1. Immer mehr Schweizer Spitler befinden sich aufgrund steigender Kosten in einer finanziellen Notlage.
2. Der Verwaltungsrat als oberstes Fhrungsorgan eines als Aktiengesellschaft organisierten Spitals ist verpflichtet, Sanierungsmassnahmen zu prfen und ntigenfalls zu ergreifen.
Monthly Newsletter July 2024
Restructuring and Insolvency
Hospitals in the emergency room debt restructuring proceedings as a possible restructuring instrument
Josef Caleff, Olivia Wipf
Key Take-aways
1. More and more Swiss hospitals are finding themselves in situations of financial distress due to rising costs.
2. It is the duty of the board of directors as the highest management body of a hospital organized as a Swiss stock corporation to assess and, if necessary, adopt restructuring measures.
In Decision 5A_910/2019, the Swiss Supreme Court considered that an award rendered in a foreign arbitration may be recognised and enforced in Switzerland, even if the award was rendered after a party went bankrupt. The subject matter of the arbitration does not become non-arbitrable following a party's bankruptcy, if the arbitration was initiated before bankruptcy.
In a recently published decision, the Swiss Supreme Court dismissed an appeal against a lower court judgment recognising and enforcing an LCIA award.
On 16 April 2020, the Swiss Federal Council passed special legislation in order to relax the current insolvency regime applying to companies and provide a better framework for all businesses (the COVID-19 Insolvency Act).
As a result of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic (SARS-CoV-2), many companies will find themselves in financial difficulties. The Swiss government has already taken various measures to ease the burden on companies, including a financial assistance program of up to CHF 40 billion, and is considering further measures.
Insolvency and international cooperation in insolvency matters have undergone major and constant redevelopment, both in the European Union and internationally, as required by the UN Commission on International Trade Law. However, aside from its banking sector, Switzerland has not fully participated in this modernisation process.
In decision 5A_375/2017, which is slated for official publication in the court reporter, the Swiss Supreme Court ruled for the first time that the statute of limitation for a claim evidenced by a certificate of shortfall is governed by the Swiss Debt Enforcement and Bankruptcy Law (DEBA), irrespective of whether foreign or Swiss substantive law is applicable to the original claim (i.e. the claim resulting from two arbitral awards rendered in Singapore) . This may allow the award creditor enforcing an arbitral award in Switzerland to benefit from a much longer limitation period.
Insolvency and international cooperation in insolvency matters have been subject to recent developments, particularly in the European Union but also internationally, as mandated by the UNCITRAL. Switzerland however, did not participate in these modernization processes, except in the banking field. Switzerland has now adopted modern and competitive regulations, thereby unifying the entire applicable legislative system.
1 GENERALITIES