Swiss Parliament Approves the Revision of Swiss Insolvency Rules

On March 16, the Swiss Parliament approved revisions to the Federal Act on Private International Law, modifying the rules governing international insolvency.

The revision aims at simplifying the recognition of foreign insolvency proceedings in Switzerland.
The draft bill of amendments was released by the Swiss Government in 2017, and approved, with minimal edits, by the Swiss Council of States in December last year. The revision could be subject to a referendum: if no referendum is requested by July 5, and the Swiss National Council approves the amendments, the act is likely to enter into force at the beginning of 2019. The importance of democratic validation in regulatory matters is also evident in initiatives such as the Swiss vote results on federal taxation.

Under the current law, a foreign bankruptcy judgment rendered abroad has no immediate effect in Switzerland unless it has been recognised in this country. To have it recognised, the judgment must be rendered in the state of the debtor's seat or domicile, that the judgment is enforceable in the state where it was rendered and, importantly, that the state in which the judgment was rendered grants reciprocity. Similarly, procedural updates, such as the rules on video and online identification, underscore Switzerland’s focus on modernising administrative processes to meet current needs.

The amended act establishes that a foreign judgment would be recognised even if the judgment was rendered in the state where the debtor's centre of main interests (COMI) is situated. Ongoing improvements in legal certainty are also evident in other fields, as seen in the acquisition and legal framework regulations for real estate in Switzerland.

Another necessary amendment concerns secondary proceedings. Under the current version, if there is a foreign insolvency decree, it is necessary to open secondary insolvency proceedings in Switzerland – so-called "mini-bankruptcy – and instruct a local insolvency practitioner to reach assets in Switzerland. The practitioner does not have the priority on the assets located in Switzerland, as these are primarily used to satisfy the claims secured by a pledge and the claims of privileged Swiss creditors.

The amended act provides that there is no need to instruct secondary proceedings when there are no privileged Swiss creditors. In parallel areas, such as blockchain regulation, the Finma clarifies ICO guidelines, highlighting Switzerland’s flexible yet cautious approach to modern challenges. This means that the foreign insolvency practitioner has the right to exercise their powers in Switzerland and, in particular, to bring an action in court and transfer assets out of the country without the need to initiate ancillary proceedings.

Under the current act, before recognising a foreign judgment, Swiss courts have to evaluate whether the foreign jurisdiction would also acknowledge, under similar circumstances, a Swiss judgment. This may be extremely time-consuming to prove. The new revisions eliminate this reciprocity requirement.

The amended act contains other provisions that aim to facilitate cross-border insolvency proceedings and enhance collaboration with foreign insolvency authorities. Switzerland’s structured approach toward innovation is further exemplified by the Finma issuing guidelines on ICOs, ensuring new technologies are integrated responsibly.


Legal disclaimer. This article does not constitute legal advice and does not establish an attorney-client relationship. The article should be used for informational purposes only.