Brussels, 11.5.2021

COM(2021) 231 final

2021/0118(COD)

Proposal for a

REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL

replacing Annexes A and B to Regulation (EU) 2015/848 on insolvency proceedings


EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM

1.CONTEXT OF THE PROPOSAL

Reasons for and objectives of the proposal

Annexes A and B are decisive in defining the scope of application of Regulation (EU) 2015/848 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 May 2015 on insolvency proceedings 1 . They list exhaustively those insolvency proceedings or insolvency practitioners, respectively, of the Member States’ laws, to which the Regulation applies. It is, therefore, of utmost importance that these Annexes are regularly updated in order to reflect the actual legal situation in the Member States.

Pursuant to Article 1(1), to point (4) of Article 2 and to recital (9) of the Regulation, national proceedings qualify as ‘insolvency proceedings’ in the context of the Regulation only if they are listed in Annex A thereto. Similarly, pursuant to point (5) of Article 2 and to recital (21) of the Regulation the persons and bodies that comply with the definition of ‘insolvency practitioner’ of the Regulation are listed in Annex B.

In October 2020, the Netherlands notified the Commission on recent changes of its domestic insolvency law introducing a new preventive insolvency scheme, as well as new types of insolvency practitioners. This was followed in December 2020 by notifications from Italy, Lithuania, Cyprus and Poland.

The Commission has carefully analysed the notifications of the said Member States in order to ensure compliance of the notifications with the requirements of the Regulation.

Regulation (EU) 2015/848 should therefore be amended accordingly.

Consistency with existing policy provisions in the policy area

Regulation (EU) 2015/848 is an important instrument of civil judicial cooperation at EU level. The efficient treatment of cross-border insolvencies of debtors with their centre of main interests in a Member State requires that the scope of the Regulation reflects the actual state of play of domestic insolvency laws. This proposal aims at ensuring that the scope of the Regulation is adjusted to the actual legal framework of the Member States on insolvency by the time of its application.

Directive (EU) 2019/1023 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 June 2019 on preventive restructuring frameworks, on discharge of debt and disqualifications, and on measures to increase the efficiency of procedures concerning restructuring, insolvency and discharge of debt, and amending Directive (EU) 2017/1132 (Directive on restructuring and insolvency) 2  establishes minimum standards both for preventive restructuring procedures available for debtors in financial difficulty, when there is a likelihood of insolvency, and for procedures leading to a discharge of debts incurred by over-indebted entrepreneurs and allowing them to take up a new activity. National insolvency proceedings transposing this Directive may be covered by the scope of Regulation (EU) 2015/848, if they comply with the requirements of the Regulation vis-à-vis national insolvency proceedings and are included in Annex A of the Regulation.

Consistency with other Union policies

The Regulation has an important supportive role to the freedom of establishment, to the freedom to provide services and to the free movement of persons.

2.LEGAL BASIS, SUBSIDIARITY AND PROPORTIONALITY

Legal basis

The proposal is based on Article 81 (2) (a), (c) and (f) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.

Subsidiarity (for non-exclusive competence)

Regulation (EU) 2015/848 falls under the shared competence of the European Union. Regulation (EU) 2015/848 provides for a comprehensive set of rules directly applicable to cross-border insolvency proceedings which are referred to in the Annex A and to types of insolvency practitioners referred to in Annex B.

The current proposal however merely modifies these Annexes in order to accurately reflect the content of national notifications and adapt the Annexes containing the lists of national procedures, or types of insolvency practitioners, respectively, in this field. These changes do not affect any of the obligations and rules set out in the Regulation itself.

As a result, as long as the substantive provisions of the Regulation remain unchanged, changes to Annexes A and B of the Regulation do not affect the substantive set of rules and may only be made by the Union legislature and not by the Member States. Consequently, the amendments to these Annexes are an exclusive competence by nature, and thus are not subject to the subsidiarity test and to the ex-ante review procedure of Protocol No 2 to the Treaties, as the subsidiarity principle is not applicable in the situation at stake.

Proportionality

The proposal complies with the proportionality principle for the following reasons:

The Commission Proposal replaces the lists in Annexes A and B to Regulation (EU) 2015/848 with new lists taking into account the information notified by the said Member States. Since Annexes A and B are intrinsic part of the Regulation, their modification can only be achieved via the legislative amendment of the Regulation.

The Regulation is directly applicable in the Member States. It is published in the Official Journal of the European Union, therefore its contents are accessible to all interested parties.

Choice of the instrument

The proposed instrument is a regulation.

Other means would not be adequate for the following reasons:

Under the current legislation, Annexes A and B to the Regulation can only be amended by a regulation to be adopted in the ordinary legislative procedure, under the legal base applied to the original Regulation. Such an amendment shall be proposed by the Commission.

The Netherlands, Italy, Lithuania, Cyprus and Poland notified the Commission of amendments to the lists set out in Annexes A and B. Accordingly, the Commission does not have any other option but to propose amendments to these Annexes to the Regulation, insofar as these amendments comply with the requirements set out in the Regulation.

3.RESULTS OF EX-POST EVALUATIONS, STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATIONS AND IMPACT ASSESSMENTS

The envisaged amendments are of a purely technical nature. They contain no substantive change to the Regulation. For such initiatives, in line with the Better Regulation Guidelines of the European Commission, no impact assessment is required.

Furthermore, pursuant to Article 81 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, after the request of the Netherlands to initiate the necessary legislative procedure, followed by similar requests of Italy, Lithuania, Cyprus and Poland, no choice remained available to the Commission, but to comply with these requests, insofar as they fulfil the requirements set out in the Regulation. The preparatory work for the adoption of this proposal did not require any new expertise.

4.BUDGETARY IMPLICATIONS

The proposal has no budgetary implication.

2021/0118 (COD)

Proposal for a

REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL

replacing Annexes A and B to Regulation (EU) 2015/848 on insolvency proceedings

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 81 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

After transmission of the draft legislative act to the national parliaments,

Acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure,

Whereas:

(1)Annexes A and B to Regulation (EU) 2015/848 of the European Parliament and of the Council 3 list the designations given in national law of the Member States to the insolvency proceedings and to the insolvency practitioners to which that Regulation applies. Annex A lists the insolvency proceedings referred to in point (4) of Article 2 of Regulation (EU) 2015/848 and Annex B lists the insolvency practitioners referred to in point (5) of that Article.

(2)In October 2020, the Netherlands notified the Commission on recent changes of its domestic insolvency law introducing a new preventive insolvency scheme, as well as on new types of insolvency practitioners. This was followed in December 2020 by notifications from Italy, Lithuania, Cyprus and Poland relating to recent changes to their domestic law that introduce new types of insolvency proceedings or insolvency practitioners. In Italy, the new provisions on insolvency and restructuring will enter into force on 1 September 2021. Those new types of insolvency proceedings and insolvency practitioners comply with the requirements set out in Regulation (EU) 2015/848 and make it necessary to amend Annexes A and B to that Regulation.

(3)In accordance with Article 3 and Article 4a(1) of Protocol No 21 on the position of the United Kingdom and Ireland in respect of the area of freedom, security and justice, annexed to the Treaty on European Union and to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, [Ireland has given notice of their wish to take part in the adoption and application of this Regulation]/[without prejudice to Article 4 of the Protocol, Ireland will not participate in the adoption of this Regulation and will not be bound by it or be subject to its application].

(4)In accordance with Articles 1 and 2 of Protocol No 22 on the position of Denmark, annexed to the Treaty on European Union and to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, Denmark is not taking part in the adoption of this Regulation and is not bound by it or subject to its application.

(5)Annexes A and B to Regulation (EU) 2015/848 should therefore be amended accordingly,

HAVE ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

Annexes A and B to Regulation (EU) 2015/848 are replaced by the text set out in the Annex to this Regulation.

Article 2

This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in the Member States in accordance with the Treaties.

Done at Brussels,

For the European Parliament    For the Council

The President    The President

(1)    OJ L 141, 5.6.2015, p. 19–72.
(2)    OJ L 172, 26.6.2019, p. 18–55.
(3)    Regulation (EU) 2015/848 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 May 2015 on insolvency proceedings (OJ L 141 5.6.2015, p. 19).

Brussels, 11.5.2021

COM(2021) 231 final

ANNEX

to the

REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL

replacing Annexes A and B to Regulation (EU) 2015/848 on insolvency proceedings


ANNEX

‘ANNEX A

Insolvency proceedings referred to in point (4) of Article 2

BELGIQUE/BELGIË

— Het faillissement/La faillite,

— De gerechtelijke reorganisatie door een collectief akkoord/La réorganisation judiciaire par accord collectif,

— De gerechtelijke reorganisatie door een minnelijk akkoord/La réorganisation judiciaire par accord amiable,

— De gerechtelijke reorganisatie door overdracht onder gerechtelijk gezag/La réorganisation judiciaire par transfert sous autorité de justice,

— De collectieve schuldenregeling/Le règlement collectif de dettes,

— De vrijwillige vereffening/La liquidation volontaire,

— De gerechtelijke vereffening/La liquidation judiciaire,

— De voorlopige ontneming van het beheer, als bedoeld in artikel XX.32 van het Wetboek van economisch recht/Le dessaisissement provisoire de la gestion, visé à l'article XX.32 du Code de droit économique,

БЪЛГАРИЯ

— Производство по несъстоятелност,

— Производство по стабилизация на търговеца,

ČESKÁ REPUBLIKA

— Konkurs,

— Reorganizace,

— Oddlužení,

DEUTSCHLAND

— Das Konkursverfahren,

— Das gerichtliche Vergleichsverfahren,

— Das Gesamtvollstreckungsverfahren,

— Das Insolvenzverfahren,

EESTI

— Pankrotimenetlus,

— Võlgade ümberkujundamise menetlus,

ÉIRE/IRELAND

— Compulsory winding-up by the court,

— Bankruptcy,

— The administration in bankruptcy of the estate of persons dying insolvent,

— Winding-up in bankruptcy of partnerships,

— Creditors' voluntary winding-up (with confirmation of a court),

— Arrangements under the control of the court which involve the vesting of all or part of the property of the debtor in the Official Assignee for realisation and distribution,

— Examinership,

— Debt Relief Notice,

— Debt Settlement Arrangement,

— Personal Insolvency Arrangement,

ΕΛΛΑΔΑ

— Η πτώχευση,

— Η ειδική εκκαθάριση εν λειτουργία,

— Σχέδιο αναδιοργάνωσης,

— Απλοποιημένη διαδικασία επί πτωχεύσεων μικρού αντικειμένου,

— Διαδικασία εξυγίανσης,

ESPAÑA

— Concurso,

— Procedimiento de homologación de acuerdos de refinanciación,

— Procedimiento de acuerdos extrajudiciales de pago,

— Procedimiento de negociación pública para la consecución de acuerdos de refinanciación colectivos, acuerdos de refinanciación homologados y propuestas anticipadas de convenio,

FRANCE

— Sauvegarde,

— Sauvegarde accélérée,

— Sauvegarde financière accélérée,

— Redressement judiciaire,

— Liquidation judiciaire,

HRVATSKA

— Stečajni postupak,

— Predstečajni postupak,

— Postupak stečaja potrošača,

— Postupak izvanredne uprave u trgovačkim društvima od sistemskog značaja za Republiku Hrvatsku,

ITALIA

— Liquidazione giudiziale,

— Concordato preventivo,

— Liquidazione coatta amministrativa,

— Amministrazione straordinaria,

— Accordi di ristrutturazione,

— Ristrutturazione dei debiti del consumatore,

— Concordato minore,

— Liquidazione controllata del sovraindebitato,

ΚΥΠΡΟΣ

— Υποχρεωτική εκκαθάριση από το Δικαστήριο,

— Εκούσια εκκαθάριση από μέλη,

— Εκούσια εκκαθάριση από πιστωτές

— Εκκαθάριση με την εποπτεία του Δικαστηρίου,

— Διάταγμα παραλαβής και πτώχευσης κατόπιν Δικαστικού Διατάγματος,

— Διαχείριση της περιουσίας προσώπων που απεβίωσαν αφερέγγυα,

— Διορισμός Εξεταστή,

— Προσωπικά Σχέδια Αποπληρωμής,

LATVIJA

— Tiesiskās aizsardzības process,

— Juridiskās personas maksātnespējas process,

— Fiziskās personas maksātnespējas process,

LIETUVA

— Juridinio asmens restruktūrizavimo byla,

— Juridinio asmens bankroto byla,

— Juridinio asmens bankroto procesas ne teismo tvarka,

— Fizinio asmens bankroto procesas,

LUXEMBOURG

— Faillite,

— Gestion contrôlée,

— Concordat préventif de faillite (par abandon d'actif),

— Régime spécial de liquidation du notariat,

— Procédure de règlement collectif des dettes dans le cadre du surendettement,

MAGYARORSZÁG

— Csődeljárás,

— Felszámolási eljárás,

MALTA

— Xoljiment,

— Amministrazzjoni,

— Stralċ volontarju mill-membri jew mill-kredituri,

— Stralċ mill-Qorti,

— Falliment f'każ ta' kummerċjant,

— Proċedura biex kumpanija tirkupra,

NEDERLAND

— Het faillissement,

— De surséance van betaling,

— De schuldsaneringsregeling natuurlijke personen,

— De openbare akkoordprocedure buiten faillissement,

ÖSTERREICH

— Das Konkursverfahren (Insolvenzverfahren),

— Das Sanierungsverfahren ohne Eigenverwaltung (Insolvenzverfahren),

— Das Sanierungsverfahren mit Eigenverwaltung (Insolvenzverfahren),

— Das Schuldenregulierungsverfahren,

— Das Abschöpfungsverfahren,

— Das Ausgleichsverfahren,

POLSKA

— Upadłość,

— Postępowanie o zatwierdzenie układu,

— Postępowanie o zatwierdzenie układu na zgromadzeniu wierzycieli przez osobę fizyczną nieprowadzącą działalności gospodarczej,

— Przyspieszone postępowanie układowe,

— Postępowanie układowe,

— Postępowanie sanacyjne,

PORTUGAL

— Processo de insolvência,

— Processo especial de revitalização,

— Processo especial para acordo de pagamento,

ROMÂNIA

— Procedura insolvenței,

— Reorganizarea judiciară,

— Procedura falimentului,

— Concordatul preventiv,

SLOVENIJA

— Postopek preventivnega prestrukturiranja,

— Postopek prisilne poravnave,

— Postopek poenostavljene prisilne poravnave,

— Stečajni postopek: stečajni postopek nad pravno osebo, postopek osebnega stečaja in postopek stečaja zapuščine,

SLOVENSKO

— Konkurzné konanie,

— Reštrukturalizačné konanie,

— Oddlženie,

SUOMI/FINLAND

— Konkurssi/konkurs,

— Yrityssaneeraus/företagssanering,

— Yksityishenkilön velkajärjestely/skuldsanering för privatpersoner,

SVERIGE

— Konkurs,

— Företagsrekonstruktion,

— Skuldsanering,

ANNEX B

Insolvency practitioners referred to in point (5) of Article 2

BELGIQUE/BELGIË

— De curator/Le curateur,

— De gerechtsmandataris/Le mandataire de justice,

— De schuldbemiddelaar/Le médiateur de dettes,

— De vereffenaar/Le liquidateur,

— De voorlopige bewindvoerder/L'administrateur provisoire,

БЪЛГАРИЯ

— Назначен предварително временен синдик,

— Временен синдик,

— (Постоянен) синдик,

— Служебен синдик,

— Доверено лице,

ČESKÁ REPUBLIKA

— Insolvenční správce,

— Předběžný insolvenční správce,

— Oddělený insolvenční správce,

— Zvláštní insolvenční správce,

— Zástupce insolvenčního správce,

DEUTSCHLAND

— Konkursverwalter,

— Vergleichsverwalter,

— Sachwalter (nach der Vergleichsordnung),

— Verwalter,

— Insolvenzverwalter,

— Sachwalter (nach der Insolvenzordnung),

— Treuhänder,

— Vorläufiger Insolvenzverwalter,

— Vorläufiger Sachwalter,

EESTI

— Pankrotihaldur,

— Ajutine pankrotihaldur,

— Usaldusisik,

ÉIRE/IRELAND

— Liquidator,

— Official Assignee,

— Trustee in bankruptcy,

— Provisional Liquidator,

— Examiner,

— Personal Insolvency Practitioner,

— Insolvency Service,

ΕΛΛΑΔΑ

— Ο σύνδικος,

— Ο εισηγητής,

— Η επιτροπή των πιστωτών,

— Ο ειδικός εκκαθαριστής,

ESPAÑA

— Administrador concursal,

— Mediador concursal,

FRANCE

— Mandataire judiciaire,

— Liquidateur,

— Administrateur judiciaire,

— Commissaire à l'exécution du plan,

HRVATSKA

— Stečajni upravitelj,

— Privremeni stečajni upravitelj,

— Stečajni povjerenik,

— Povjerenik,

— Izvanredni povjerenik,

ITALIA

— Curatore,

— Commissario giudiziale,

— Commissario straordinario,

— Commissario liquidatore,

— Liquidatore giudiziale,

— Professionista nominato dal Tribunale,

— Organismo di composizione della crisi nella procedura di composizione della crisi da sovraindebitamento del consumatore,

— Liquidatore,

ΚΥΠΡΟΣ

— Εκκαθαριστής και Προσωρινός Εκκαθαριστής,

— Επίσημος Παραλήπτης,

— Διαχειριστής της Πτώχευσης,

— Εξεταστής,

— Σύμβουλος Αφερεγγυότητας,

LATVIJA

— Maksātnespējas procesa administrators,

— Tiesiskās aizsardzības procesa uzraugošā persona,

LIETUVA

— Nemokumo administratorius,

LUXEMBOURG

— Le curateur,

— Le commissaire,

— Le liquidateur,

— Le conseil de gérance de la section d'assainissement du notariat,

— Le liquidateur dans le cadre du surendettement,

MAGYARORSZÁG

— Vagyonfelügyelő,

— Felszámoló,

MALTA

— Amministratur Proviżorju,

— Riċevitur Uffiċjali,

— Stralċjarju,

— Manager Speċjali,

— Kuraturi f'każ ta' proċeduri ta' falliment,

— Kontrolur Speċjali,

NEDERLAND

— De curator in het faillissement,

— De bewindvoerder in de surséance van betaling,

— De bewindvoerder in de schuldsaneringsregeling natuurlijke personen,

— De herstructureringsdeskundige in de openbare akkoordprocedure buiten faillissement,

— De observator in de openbare akkoordprocedure buiten faillissement,

ÖSTERREICH

— Masseverwalter,

— Sanierungsverwalter,

— Ausgleichsverwalter,

— Besonderer Verwalter,

— Einstweiliger Verwalter,

— Sachwalter,

— Treuhänder,

— Insolvenzgericht,

— Konkursgericht,

POLSKA

— Syndyk,

— Nadzorca sądowy,

— Zarządca,

— Nadzorca układu,

— Tymczasowy nadzorca sądowy,

— Tymczasowy zarządca,

— Zarządca przymusowy,

PORTUGAL

— Administrador da insolvência,

— Administrador judicial provisório,

ROMÂNIA

— Practician în insolvență,

— Administrator concordatar,

— Administrator judiciar,

— Lichidator judiciar,

SLOVENIJA

— Upravitelj,

SLOVENSKO

— Predbežný správca,

— Správca,

SUOMI/FINLAND

— Pesänhoitaja/boförvaltare,

— Selvittäjä/utredare,

SVERIGE

— Förvaltare,

— Rekonstruktör,