Directors Liability

Short Reads - The Act on confirmation of private restructuring plans (Wet homologatie onderhands akkoord) – which introduces a framework allowing debtors to restructure their debts outside formal insolvency proceedings (termed the “Dutch Scheme“) – was adopted by the Dutch Senate on 6 October 2020 and will enter into force on 1 January 2021.

Articles - What duties and potential liabilities should the directors/managers have regard to when managing a company in financial difficulties? Is there a specific point at which a company must enter a restructuring or insolvency process? What are the criteria for entry into each restructuring procedure? Or, what impact does each restructuring procedure have on existing contracts?

Short Reads - Job van Hooff and Daisy Nijkamp, in collaboration with Lexology, will present a webinar on WHOA on 2 April 2020. During the webinar they will look at a new bill prepared by the Dutch legislature - the Act on the Confirmation of Private Restructuring Plans (Wet homologatie onder onderhand akkoord) - which introduces a framework that makes it possible for debtors to restructure their debts outside formal insolvency proceedings.

Short Reads - The Council of the European Union adopted a proposal for a Directive on restructuring and insolvency (2016/0359 (COD) on 6 June 2019. The Directive will enter into force twenty days after it is published in the Official Journal of the European Union. From that date, Member States will have two years to implement the substantive parts of the Directive in their national legislation, although a one year extension can be granted.

Speaking slot - Agoria, Belgium’s largest sectorial employers’ federation of technology driven companies, patent office V.O. and Stibbe jointly organise a webinar on the main aspects of insolvency proceedings and their impact on intellectual property rights.

Short Reads - On 26 May 2020, the Dutch Parliament’s House of Representatives (Tweede Kamer) adopted the Act on confirmation of private restructuring plans (Wet homologatie onderhands akkoord (“WHOA”)). The next step will see the WHOA put to vote in the Senate.

Short Reads - Door het gemak waarmee krediet kon worden verkregen en de extreem lage kosten ervan, hebben veel bedrijven grote leningen aangetrokken. De schuldenpositie van bedrijven is nog nooit zo groot geweest.

Articles - This Guide covers common issues in corporate recovery and insolvency - including issues that arise when a company is in financial difficulties, insolvency procedures, cross-border issues - in 30 jurisdictions. Pieter Wouters and Paul Van der Putten of Stibbe Brussels' Litigation department contributed to the Belgian chapter of the ICLG.