Bankruptcy Tourism and the European Union's Corporate Restructuring Quandary: The Cathedral in Another Light

62 Pages Posted: 12 Nov 2019 Last revised: 11 Mar 2020

See all articles by Samir D. Parikh

Samir D. Parikh

Lewis & Clark Law School; Fulbright Schuman Scholar; Bloomberg Law; Fulbright Commission

Date Written: November 1, 2019

Abstract

For the last decade, the European Union has been reconceptualizing its corporate restructuring framework with the hope of bolstering capital markets and improving cross-border lending. Unfortunately, the system remains plagued by two intractable problems: divergent substantive law at the Member State level and jurists unaccustomed to guiding reorganization cases. The result is a system beset by uncertainty and disparate treatment. The EU is intent on addressing these problems, but progress has been elusive. The EU must work through recommendations and directives to encourage Member States to align substantive restructuring law with policy design. But Member States have been unresponsive to the EU’s recent efforts. The prospect of addressing these intractable problems in the foreseeable future is grim. Therefore, this Article breaks with current scholarship and urges the EU to adopt a radical alternative. The EU should consider making legal and structural changes that will facilitate bankruptcy tourism. I argue that affording corporations increased discretion as to the location of restructuring cases will aid in creating judicial hubs of optimal law and experienced jurists. The EU has the power to adopt my recommendations by simply modifying its own law and procedure, which should accelerate implementation timelines.

Ultimately, economists foresee an impending financial correction. The EU’s restructuring framework is unprepared to offer predictable and comprehensive reorganization outcomes for the next wave of distressed corporations. This Article proposes a novel vantage point from which to assess policy alignment.

Keywords: forum shopping, bankruptcy, european union, corporate restructuring, comparative, european insolvency regulation, restructuring directive, brexit

Suggested Citation

Parikh, Samir D., Bankruptcy Tourism and the European Union's Corporate Restructuring Quandary: The Cathedral in Another Light (November 1, 2019). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3479454 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3479454

Samir D. Parikh (Contact Author)

Lewis & Clark Law School ( email )

10101 S. TERWILLIGER BLVD
LEWIS CLARK LAW
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Fulbright Schuman Scholar ( email )

United States

Bloomberg Law ( email )

New York
New York, NY
United States

Fulbright Commission ( email )

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