Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP Comparison of Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) and Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), October 2015 1 Established pursuant to Abu Dhabi Law No. 4 of 2013, the ADGM is currently in the process of establishing itself as an alternative financial centre to the DIFC. It is intended that over time the ADGM will become a recognised international financial centre alongside the DIFC and other regional financial centres in Qatar, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.
On 17th January, 2020, the Republic of India (India) made a remarkable move with the issuance of a Gazette notification which notified the inclusion of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as a “reciprocating territory” for the enforcement of judgments (Reciprocating Territory Notification). This alert expands on the features of this new development and the potential benefit for individuals, companies (including financial institutions) in the UAE that have default debtors located in India or with assets in India.
Prelude
India and the United Arab Emirates (‘UAE’) have witnessed dynamic bilateral relations in the recent past. Leadership of both countries have endeavoured to bolster ties of the two economies which has aligned India to achieve its insatiable ambition of emerging as a USD 5 trillion economy.
Year in Review - United Arab Emirates Law in 2016
On 13 June 2019 the new Insolvency Law(DIFC Law No. 1 of 2019) and the associated Insolvency Regulations 2019 (the “Law”) came in to effect in the Dubai International Finance Centre (“DIFC”) repealing and replacing the DIFC’s Insolvency Law of 2009 (the “Old Law”).
With the significant strain placed on market participants as a result of the combined impacts of the global COVID-19 pandemic, the oil price war and the ensuing liquidity and credit crunches, we expect that a number of enterprises in the United Arab Emirates ("UAE") will either be forced to carry out restructurings or otherwise undergo formal court-supervised insolvency processes.
The UAE Cabinet recently approved Decree-Law No. (19) of 2019 on the Insolvency of Natural Persons concerning natural person’s inability to pay debts due to insolvency and debt default. This new law is aimed at enhancing the competitiveness of the UAE, ease of doing business and at facilitating more favorable conditions for individuals facing financial difficulties and protecting those unable to meet debt obligations from going bankrupt.
Why are bankruptcy laws needed?
Over the past couple of years, there have been a wave of new insolvency and bankruptcy laws introduced in the GCC. With the exception of Qatar and Kuwait, all other GCC countries have now introduced new bankruptcy laws. As for Oman, its new bankruptcy law is due to come into effect on 1 July 2020.
In brief
Insolvency Law No. 9 of 2019 enters into force from January 2020, which is the year of economic and social betting on development and aspiration for a happier and more stable country.
What is the role of the insolvency law in this context?