Directors Liability

Short Reads - Het Wetsvoorstel Wet Homologatie onderhands akkoord (“WHOA”) is op 26 mei 2020 door de Tweede Kamer aangenomen en is momenteel in behandeling bij de Eerste Kamer. De WHOA combineert aspecten van de Engelse Scheme of Arrangement en de Amerikaanse Chapter 11 procedure. Ondernemingen die in zwaar weer verkeren krijgen de mogelijkheid om hun schulden buiten formele insolventieprocedures te herstructureren door een akkoord op te leggen aan (een deel van) de schuldeisers. De verwachting is dat de wet dit najaar in werking zal treden.

Articles - The Belgium Chapter of the International Comparative Legal Guide to Restructuring & Insolvency 2020 is online. The publication, authored by Paul Van der Putten and Pieter Wouters, covers common topics in restructuring and insolvency, including issues that arise when a company is in financial difficulties, restructuring options, insolvency procedures, tax, employees, and cross-border issues in 27 jurisdictions. 

Inside Stibbe - As of 1 January 2020, David Orobio de Castro, Michael Molenaars and Job van Hooff will form the new board of Stibbe in Amsterdam. David Orobio de Castro has been on the board of Stibbe since 2016 and succeeds Derk Lemstra as managing partner. After a period of six years on the board, Derk will once again fully focus on advising clients in the field of corporate law.

Articles - Does the legislative framework in your jurisdiction allow for informal work-outs, as well as formal restructuring and insolvency proceedings, and to what extent are each of these used in practice? What formal rescue procedures are available in your jurisdiction to restructure the liabilities of distressed companies? What effect does each restructuring procedure have on existing contracts? How are the creditors and/or shareholders able to influence each winding up process. 

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.

Inside Stibbe - Stibbe renforce son cabinet au Luxembourg avec la nomination de Vanessa Schmitt (droit des sociétés et droit financier), Olivier dal Farra (droit fiscal) et Frédéric Pilorget (droit des sociétés et droit financier) en tant que Counsel. Ces nouvelles nominations ont pris effet au mois d’avril et permettent à Stibbe de renforcer davantage son équipe luxembourgeoise en droit fiscal ainsi qu’en droit des sociétés et droit financier afin de continuer à répondre aux besoins du marché.