The facts are as follows: an insolvency creditor challenged the decision of the administrator in bankruptcy of a company about not recognizing its credit. The credit derived from a guarantee granted to secure a promissory note from a company belonging to the group of the insolvent company.

1864775-v3\MADDOCS 1 AMENDMENT OF THE INSOLVENCY ACT ROYAL DECREE-ACT 1/2015 SECOND-CHANCE MECHANISM URGENT MEASURES TO REDUCE FINANCIAL BURDEN (in force as of 1 March 15) THE NEW MEASURES CAN AFFECT YOU IF AN INDIVIDUAL OWES YOU MONEY AND THEY ARE DECLARED INSOLVENT  If an individual, be they businessmen/entrepreneurs or not, owes you money and they become insolvent, and you (or your Company) have not secured the credit with a guarantee or with some type of security interest (mortgage or pledge), then you could be affected by the so-called “unpaid debt waiver benefit" that is applicable t

1. The reform and its drivers

We are witnessing an unprecedented review of Spanish Law 22/2003 on Insolvency Proceedings (Spanish Insolvency Act or “IA”).  With the recent approval of three Royal Decree-Laws (“RDLs”), namely RDL 4/2014, of 7 March, RDL 11/2014, of 5 September and RDL 1/2015, of 27 February), the Spanish legislator seeks to achieve three main goals:

1. El Estatuto de los Trabajadores (LET) prevé en su artículo 50 la posibilidad de que el trabajador reclame la extinción de su contrato, entre otros motivos, por falta de pago o retrasos continuados por parte del empleador en el abono de los salarios pactados (art. 50.1b LET).

The Supreme Court rules in a recent decision over different bankruptcy incidents. The first relates to a work contract to supply materials in which a penalty clause for late work is established, and the ability to execute the works under the guarantee provided in the contract if the contractor may not execute them. Having a delay in delivery of the work and having entrusted to another company the repair works, the owner claimed the payment of the amounts and compensation with the guarantee held.

The Royal Decree-Law 1/2015 dated February 27, 2015 (the “RDL”) seeks to implement urgent measures to, among other things, reduce individual debtors’ financial burden.

Our legislation prohibits (as unconscionable) clauses that, while not negotiated with consumers, require “collateral disproportionate to the risk assumed” (art. 88(1) of the Spanish Consumer and User Protection Act). Note that this rule has not been the subject of any case law development and that the clause that paradoxically could yield to art.

ECJ, Sixth Chamber, Judgment of 28 January 2015.

The judgment resolves the prejudicial question submitted by a Mercantile Court concerning the maintenance of workers’ rights in the event of the transfer of companies or part of them, and branches of business.

The insolvency system established under Royal Decree-Law 5/2005 applies to interest rate swap agreements if they are subject to a contractual compensation agreement, even when there is only a financial transaction under that agreement. Any claims arising from these agreements that might have accrued after the declaration of insolvency will be charged against the insolvency estate.

The Council of State has issued a report regarding the request for a declaration of the administration’s financial liability made by a party expropriated for fair value in legal proceedings in view of the declaration of insolvency of the concessionaire benefitting from the expropriation.