1. Introduction
FEBRUARY 2024 mourant.com 2021934/89586498/1 UPDATE 2023’s most significant legal developments and what to look out for in 2024 Update prepared by Saniyé Tipirdamaz, Adrian Dobbyn, Eléonore Galleron, Mathieu Gangloff and Romain Bordage (Luxembourg) In 2023, in Luxembourg, we witnessed a number of significant legal developments in the areas of Banking & Finance, Restructuring & Insolvency, Corporate, Investment Funds and Tax. In 2024, new legislation which will impact upon businesses and their investment strategies are expected to be introduced.
On 8 May 2024, the General Court of the EU annulled the Commission decision of 26 July 2021 approving restructuring aid to German airline Condor following an annulment action lodged by Ryanair. The Commission should have opened a formal procedure because of doubts about the compatibility of the aid. The General Court rejected Ryanair’s argument relating to the impact of the aid on its competitive position.
Background
In a report which was made public in May 2023, the IMF reviewed its 2023 GDP growth predictions for Portugal at 2.6%. This is just after it had predicted a growth rate of 1% in April (in itself, a leap from the projections made in October 2022 which set growth at 0.7%). According to public sources, these predictions are based on an analysis of the country's economic performance in 2022 and the first quarter of 2023.
On 27 March 2023, the European Commission concluded that an Italian loan of EUR 400 million granted in 2019 in favour of Alitalia constituted illegal and incompatible aid that has to be reimbursed.
Alitalia has benefitted from numerous public support measures over the years. The airline found itself in a financial pickle and was declared bankrupt in May 2017. To ensure the continuity of its operations, the Italian State provided the airline with two loans, one of EUR 900 million granted in 2017 and the second of EUR 400 million in 2019.
Céline Domenget Morin and Loris Julia, Goodwin Procter LLP
This is an extract from the 2023 edition of GRR's Europe, Middle East and Africa Restructuring Review. The whole publication is available here.
Background to this overview
The below overview is deemed to be a high-level overview providing the general outlines of the legal Luxembourg framework applicable to the members of the management board in private limited liability companies (sociétés à responsabilité limitée) (an “SARL”) in times of financial distress.
On 28 October 2022, the European Commission (the “Commission”) adopted the second amendment to its Temporary Crisis Framework for State Aid measures to support the economy following the aggression against Ukraine by Russia (the “Framework”). The second amendment to the Framework extends its duration by one year until 31 December 2023.
The four most important things you need to know about this amendment are:
On 19 March 2020, the European Commission adopted the Temporary Framework on State aid measures to support the economy in the current context of the COVID-19 outbreak ("Temporary Framework"). The Temporary Framework is based on Article 107(3)(b) TFEU and aims to remedy a serious disturbance in the European economy.
R&I | Mar 2022 | www.vda.pt
CORPORATE RESTRUCTURING
Practical Guide Prepare the Future : The essentials of restructuring and insolvency mechanisms
A comparative analysis of the changes arising from Law no. 9/2022 of 11 January
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VdA EXPERTISE
Index
Extrajudicial Company Recovery Scheme | RERE Special Revitalisation Procedure | PER Extraordinary Company Viability Procedure | PEVE Insolvency Proceedings
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