Insolvency and Restructuring

Short Reads - In Dutch legal practice, contracting parties often agree on provisions including an arrangement in which they waive their right to invoke the nullity of the contract in question. By doing so, the parties intend to exclude an eventual contractual annulment arising from error, duress, fraud or undue influence.

Articles - To mark the publication’s 25th anniversary, the editors of the Dutch Journal for Insolvency Law have invited Gertjan Boekraad to author an article on how the issue of bankruptcy settlement has developed in legal doctrine over the past quarter of a century. He discusses questions including: what are estate debts, how can they be paid in advance, and what if the assets do not completely cover the estate debts? 

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. 

Short Reads - The COVID-19 pandemic has a significant and immediate adverse effect on many companies in different industries. Many PE portfolio companies are particularly vulnerable given the typical high leverage finance structure and inherent need to maintain cash flow. To meet these challenges and mitigate liability risks, management and owners may need to take clear and immediate action (and refrain from certain other actions) in the interest of all stakeholders. The following sets out some key legal guidelines for management and owners when dealing with a Dutch subsidiary in distress.

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 (the “Dutch Scheme“) – was adopted by the Dutch Senate on 6 October 2020 and will enter into force on 1 January 2021. In previous blogs we have summarised when the Dutch Scheme can be used, who can make use of the initiative, and what action is required.

Short Reads - Earlier this year, the District Court in The Hague ruled that the Dutch State is liable vis-à-vis the victims and surviving relatives of a 1992 plane crash in Faro, Portugal. The State was found liable because it is responsible for the information provided by the Dutch Aviation Safety Board (a government agency) to the victims and surviving relatives. This information, on the causes of the crash was deemed by the court to be incorrect and incomplete.

Short Reads - As mentioned in our earlier blog, the Dutch legislator has prepared a bill – 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 (the “Dutch Scheme“).

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.