The lack of a modern bankruptcy law, and possible criminal prosecution for debt default, has long been a major issue for entrepreneurs in many parts of the Middle East. That may all be about to change in the UAE as the Cabinet has approved a new draft Bankruptcy Law which aims to encourage foreign investment, boost investor confidence and assist SMEs in managing their business operations. That law is expected to be introduced in early 2017.
The slowdown in the UAE economy has resulted in a corresponding slowdown in loan growth for the UAE banks and some debt delinquencies, especially in the SME market, and that has lead in some cases to a drop in bank profits as a result of increased bad debt provisions. While we understand that contractors who were the first to be affected have largely already made arrangements, that still leaves many bank customers who are feeling the stress of making scheduled loan repayments when their own profitability and cashflows are coming under pressure.
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The UAE government has issued Federal Decree Law No. 9 of 2016 on Bankruptcy (the New Law). The New Law was published in the Official Gazette with a publication date of 29 September 2016 and will come into force three months later on 29 December 2016.
Key Points
The long-awaited UAE Federal Bankruptcy Law (the New Law) is expected to take effect on 29 December 2016. The reforms aim to modernise the largely untested existing bankruptcy legislation in a manner suitable to the economic and business landscape of a fast-developing country like the UAE. The move is away from the stigma of bankruptcy and business failure to rescue and rehabilitation.
There has been a lot of excitement generated around the fact that the UAE has finally adopted a Federal bankruptcy law. But this is not strictly accurate. Although the new Federal Bankruptcy Law No. 8 of 2016 (BL) is the first standalone bankruptcy legislation coming into force end of December 2016, the UAE has had a bankruptcy regime since 1993, laid down in the Commercial Transactions Code (CTC). However, it was rarely used.
In a recent landmark judgment dated 21 February 2016 the Dubai Court of First Instance decided in favour of a foreign shareholder, against a local Emirati, in a winding up petition. This is contrary to the long established protectionist trend employed by Courts in the United Arab Emirates. What is even more surprising is that the Court, in reaching its decision, has adopted a purposive approach, rather than simply applying the black letter of the law, as has traditionally been the case.
Case Details
Who to pay when the bunker supplier becomes insolvent
1. Introduction
Кто должен платить, когда поставщик топлива становится неплатежеспособным.
1. Введение
بإشهار افلاس شخص ما أو شركة ، وما هي الفائدة التي تعود على الدائنين ، وهنا سنبين أهم الىثار التي تترتب على على الحكم بإشهار الإفلاس وهي عدة آثار بالنسبة للمدين وبالنسبة للدائنين وبالنسبة للتفليسة نبينها فيما يلي :-
ويمكن حصر الاثار المتعلقة بشخص المدين في أربعة آثار رئيسية :
1- تقييد حرية المفلس : لا يجوز للمفلس ان يتغيب عن محل اقامته دون ان يخطر امين التفليسة كتابة بمحل وجوده، ولا يجوز له ان يغيره او يغادر الدولة الا بإذن من قاضي التفليسة.