1

MADRID E-BULLETIN

RESTRUCTURING, TURNAROUND AND INSOLVENCY

REFORM OF SPANISH INSOLVENCY LEGISLATION

On Friday 7 March 2014 the Spanish Council of Ministers approved Royal Decree-Law 4/2014, of 7 March, which adopts urgent measures on the refinancing and restructuring of corporate debt. The above Royal Decree-Law introduces a series of significant reforms to the Spanish Insolvency Act 22/2003, of 9 July, (the "Insolvency Act"). The Royal Decree-Law has entered into force on 10 March 2014.

When public institutions are suffering from financial deficits, one question is usually raised: can they sell art to survive? In the museum world it is generally understood that you are to deaccession art only if the work is duplicative of another work in the collection, or for similar collections-related reasons, and the sale proceeds are used exclusively for collections activities. Therefore, for example, you cannot seek to sell art to obtain sufficient liquidity to meet any financial obligation, or make debt service payments.

Act 14/2013, of September 27, 2013, favoring entrepreneurs and their internationalization (the “Act”), introduces a wide range of reforms on insolvency, corporate, tax and labor matters. Regarding insolvencies, it takes a more flexible approach to the quorum of financial creditors required for court-sanctioned refinancing agreements and it regulates out-of-court agree-ments for payment as mechanisms for out-of-court negotiation with creditors.

REFINANCING AGREEMENTS

Con la finalidad de agilizar la tramitación de los procedimientos de ejecución, reforzar las expectativas de cobro del deudor, dotar de mayor seguridad jurídica al mercado, y en última instancia, para tratar de dar respuesta a algunos de los problemas económicos –y socialesde los últimos tiempos, el Proyecto de Ley Orgánica de Reforma del Código Penal (en adelante, “el Proyecto de Reforma”) propone una nueva regulación de los delitos de alzamiento de bienes e insolvencia punible.

On September 27, Law 14/2013, on support to the internationalization of business, was approved (Spanish Official Gazette of September 28).  From its entry into force on October 18, the procedure for out-of-court settlement of payments will be implemented, which is a new mechanism of debt renegotiation prior to the declaration of insolvency and an alternative to the so-called “pre-insolvency”, aimed to individual entrepreneurs, freelancers and small and medium-sized businesses that have not yet been declared insolvent whose assets and liabilities meet certain re

The Spanish Congress has approved important amendments into the so-called Spanish scheme of arrangements, to facilitate Spanish company refinancings.

Proceedings from the Courts’ seminar on the homologation of refinancing agreements clarify some material uncertainties.

Background

Quienes reclaman contra alguna medida colectiva de reestructuración (despidos, suspensiones, modificaciones sustanciales, movilidad geográfica, descuelgues de convenio) suelen denunciar que durante el período de consultas no se ha negociado de buena fe. Cuando las sentencias consideran que así ha sucedido declaran la nulidad de la correspondiente decisión, por disponerlo la Ley. Aunque suele pensarse en la negociación ex fide bona como deber de la empresa, hay que recordar su carácter bilateral.

1. Introduction

This paper intends to briefly describe the amendment to the Spanish Insolvency Act (“SIA”) approved by the Spanish Parliament on 19 September 2013 (the “Amendment”). Within the Amendment, we want to highlight two issues: (i) the changes introduced in Court homologation proceedings (see definition below), and (ii) the newly introduced out-of-court settlement procedure.

This paper intends to briefly describe the amendment to article 36(4)(h) of the Restructuring and Resolution of Credit Institutions Act 9/2012 (“Act 9/2012”), introduced by Royal Decree Act 14/2013, passed on 29 November 2013 and published in the Official Journal of Spain on 30 November 2013 (the “Amendment”).