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Dublin London New York Palo Alto www.matheson.com Guide to merging financial businesses Financial Times 2012-2015 Matheson is ranked in the FT’s top 10 European law firms 2015. Matheson has also been commended by the FT for corporate law, finance law, dispute resolution and corporate strategy.

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Page 1: Guide to Merging Financial Businesses › images › uploads › brexit › business › ... · 2018-08-16 · Dublin London New York Palo Alto Guide to merging financial businesses

Dublin London New York Palo Alto www.matheson.com

Guide to merging financial businesses

Financial Times 2012-2015Matheson is ranked in the FT’s top 10 European law firms 2015. Matheson has also been

commended by the FT for corporate law, finance law, dispute resolution and corporate strategy.

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2Contents

Introduction 3

SchemeofArrangement 4

Cross-BorderMerger 6

PrivateCompanyMerger 9

PLCMerger 12

InsurancePortfolioTransfer 15

Statutoryschemefortransferofbankingbusiness 17

CompaniesAct2014 20

ComparativeAnalysisTable 23

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3

InthisguidewesummarisethekeyfeaturesofthedifferenttypesofmergerwhichcanbeimplementedunderIrishlegislation.Theseproceduresdifferfromthetwomostcommonwaysinwhichbusinessescometogether-acquisitionofthesharesorassetsofonecompanybyanother-inonekeyrespect.Theycanallowthepartiestomergetheassetsand/orliabilitiesoftwoseparateentitiesontoonebalancesheet,withouttheneedtonovateand/orassigncontractsfromoneentitytotheother.Inpractice,thiscanbeaverysignificantlogisticalbenefitinusingtheseprocedures.Theextenttowhichthatfacilityisavailabledependsonthetypeofmergerinvolved.

Decidingwhichoftheseproceduresissuitableinthecircumstances,orwhetheracombinationoftwoofthemshouldbeused,requiresacarefulassessmentoftheassetstobemerged,thepotentialimpactofthelawofjurisdictionsoutsideIreland,thelikelytimescalesandtheimpacton,andlikelyreactionof,thirdparties.AnassessmentoftheimpactonemployeesandthepotentialimpactofTUPEwillalsoneedtobeconsidered.

Wehaveconsiderableexperienceadvisingonthesealternatives.WewerethefirstlawfirminIrelandtoadviseontheuseofSchemesofArrangementtomergebusinessesinvolvingmultiplethirdpartycontracts.WealsodraftedthelegislationtoprovideforCross-BorderMergersandhaveimplementedmoreCross-BorderMergersthananyotherIrishlawfirm,includingimplementing“back-to-back”mergers.

TheCompaniesAct2014(whichcameintoforceon1June2015)simplifiedcertainaspectsofmergingIrishbusinessesandintroducednewprocedureswhichmaynowbefollowedtoimplementmergersanddivisions.

Wehopeyouwillfindthisguidehelpfulandwouldbehappytohearfromyouifyouhaveanyqueries.

Introduction

Tim Scanlon PARTNERANDHEADOFCORPORATEGROUPANDFINANCIALINSTITUTIONSGROUP

E [email protected]

T +35312322183

Joe Beashel PARTNERANDHEADOFTHEREGULATORYRISKMANAGEMENTANDCOMPLIANCETEAM

[email protected]

T +35312322101

Darren Maher PARTNERANDHEADOFCORPORATEINSURANCE

[email protected]

T +35312322398

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SchemeofArrangement

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5

Process

ThisisastatutoryprocedureunderSection450ofthe2014Act.

ASchemecanbeusedtoimplementthemergeroftwocompanies.Allorpartoftheassetsandliabilities(includingcontractswiththirdparties)ofatransferorcompany(the“Transferor”)canbetransferredtoatransfereecompany(the“Transferee”)byCourtOrder.Thisobviatestheneedforindividualassignments/novationsofcontracts.

Approvalofthe“Scheme”isrequiredatmeetingsofrelevantshareholders/creditorsconvenedbythedirectorsoftheTransferoror,ifthedirectorsdonotexercisethispower,theHighCourt(uponanapplicationtoitbycertainpersonssuchasashareholderorcreditor).

Whereamajorityinnumberrepresenting75%invalueofthosevotingatthemeetingsapprovetheScheme,theCourtcansubsequentlyorderthattheSchemebebinding-evenondissenting,absentoruntraceablemembersorcreditors.DissentingmembersandcreditorswillhaveanopportunitytoobjectatthehearingatwhichtheOrderissought.

Anotificationto,ortheapprovalof,theCentralBankmayberequiredandanyrelevantregulatoryissuesinjurisdictionsoutsideIrelandneedtobeaddressed.

TheTransferormayapplytotheCourtforacancellationofitsexistingsharecapitalandforitsdissolutionwithoutneedingtogothroughawindingupprocess.Alternatively,theSchemecanbeeffectedasatransferorpartialtransferofbusinesssuchthattheTransferorisnotdissolvedandmayremaininexistenceorcommenceavoluntarywindingupprocedure.

Points to Note

TheSchememaynotbelegallyeffectiveinthecaseofcontractswhicharenotgovernedbyIrishlawif,undertherelevantgoverninglaw,theSchemewouldnotberecognised.Stepsmayneedtobetaken,dependingontherelevantgoverninglaw,inordertoassignornovatethesecontractsoutsidetheSchemeprocess.SimilarlyaSchememaynotbeeffectivetotransferassetsoftheTransferorlocatedoutsideIreland.

ChangeofControlprovisionsincontractsneedtobereviewedtodeterminewhethertheSchemewilltriggerarighttoterminate,astheCourtOrderwillnotoverridethoseterminationprovisions.

TherequirementforCourtapprovalinordertomaketheSchemebindingmeansthereisalessflexibletimetableandtheprocesswillbeinthepublicdomain.However,thisinflexibilityhasbeenmitigatedbythe2014Actasonlyonecourtapplicationisnowrequired,providedthedirectorsexercisetheirpowertoconvenetherelevantshareholder/creditormeetings.UnderthepriorCompaniesActs,atleasttwocourtapplicationswerenecessaryinordertobringaSchemeintoeffect.

IfaninsurancebusinessisbeingmergedunderaSchemethenaseparatePortfolioTransferisrequired.ThetwoCourtprocessesfortheSchemeandforthePortfolioTransferwillrunintandem.

SchemeofArrangement

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Cross-borderMerger

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7Cross-borderMerger

Process

TheEuropeanCommunities(Cross-BorderMergers)Regulations2008(the“2008Regulations”)provideforCross-BorderMergersbetweenIrishlimitedliabilitycompaniesandlimitedliabilitycompaniesinotherEEAMemberStates.WeadvisedtheGovernmentonthedraftingofthe2008Regulations.

UnderaCross-BorderMerger,alloftheassetsandliabilities(includingcontracts)ofoneormoreTransferorCompaniesareautomaticallytransferredtoaSuccessorCompanybywayofuniversalsuccessionandeachoftheTransferorCompaniesisthendissolvedwithoutgoingintoliquidation.The2008Regulationsprovidespecificallyformergersbetweenparentcompanyandsubsidiary,aswellasbetweensistercompaniesandunrelatedcompanies.

TheproceduretobefollowedinordertoeffectaCross-BorderMergerinvolves:

•thepreparationofcertaindocumentsbyeachpartytotheCross-BorderMerger,includingthecommondrafttermsoftheCross-BorderMerger;

•theapprovaloftheCross-BorderMergerbythemembersofeverymergingcompany;

•theapplicationbyeveryIrishmergingcompanytotheHighCourttoconfirmthatthevariousrequirementsunderthe2008Regulationshavebeencompliedwith;and

•wheretheSuccessorCompanyisanIrishcompany,anapplicationtotheHighCourtforacourtordertoapprovetheCross-BorderMerger.

Anotificationto,ortheapprovalof,theCentralBankmayberequiredandanyrelevantregulatoryissuesinjurisdictionsoutsideIrelandneedtobeaddressed.

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8Cross-borderMerger

Points to Note

AnadvantagetotheCross-BorderMergeroveraSchemeisthatitwillberecognisedthroughouttheEU/EEAandsoforeignlawgovernedcontractsareonlypotentiallyproblematicifthegoverninglawjurisdictionisnotanEU/EEAmember.

ThesameChangeofControlissuesariseaswithaScheme.

Inthecaseofamergerinvolvinginsurancebusinesses,aseparatePortfolioTransfermayberequiredbutinpracticethetwoCourtprocessesfortheCross-BorderMergerandthePortfolioTransfercanberunintandem.

AkeypracticaldifferencebetweenaCross-BorderMergerandaSchemeisthat,inaCross-BorderMerger,thetwoentitiesinvolvedmustbeindifferentEU/EEAmemberstates.ConsequentlytomergetwoIrishcompaniesusingCross-BorderMergersa“backtobackmerger”involvingathirdcompanyinanotherEU/EEAmemberstatesjurisdictionwouldberequired.The2014ActintroducedanewformofmergerbetweentwoprivatecompaniesincorporatedinIreland.

PartialtransfersarenotachievableunderaCross-BorderMerger,whereastheyareunderaScheme.

AstheTransferordissolvesautomaticallyapre-mergerreorganisationmayberequiredinordertotransferassetsand/orliabilitiesoftheTransferorelsewherewithintheGroup,whereitisnotintendedthatsuchassetsorliabilitiesaretotransferaspartoftheCross-BorderMerger.

TheprocessalsoallowsforemployeeparticipationrightswhicharenotafeatureofSchemesorPrivateCompanyorPLCMergers.

TheprocesstoimplementaCross-BorderMergeris,asageneralcomment,morestreamlinedthantheprocessforaScheme.

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PrivateCompanyMerger

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10PrivateCompanyMerger

The2014Actprovides,forthefirsttimeunderIrishlaw,foranewformofmergerthatcanbeeffectedbetweenprivatecompaniesincorporatedinIreland(“PrivateCompanyMerger”).Theprocedureisonlyavailablewherenoneofthemergingcompaniesareaplcandone,atleast,ofsuchcompaniesisaprivatecompanylimitedbyshares.

TheprocesstobefollowedinimplementingaPrivateCompanyMergerisverysimilartotheCross-BorderMergerprocess,astherelevantprovisionsofthe2014Acthavebeenmodelledonthe2008Regulations.

AlloftheassetsandliabilitiesofoneormoreTransferorCompaniescanbetransferredtoaSuccessorCompany;theTransferorCompaniesarethendissolvedwithoutgoingintoliquidation.

Inbroadterms,themergermaytakeeffectasfollows:

(a)thedirectorsofboththeTransferorandTransfereepreparetherelevantmergerdocumentationwhichmustbefiledintheCompaniesRegistrationOffice(“CRO”)andpublishedintheCROGazetteandonenationalnewspaper;

(b)aftera30dayperiodhaselapsed,thecommondrafttermsofmergermustbeapprovedbyaspecialresolutionpassedatageneralmeetingofeachofthemergingcompanies;and

(c)theTransferorandTransfereemaythenmakeajointapplicationtotheCourtforanorderconfirmingthemerger.

Asanalternativetotheprocessabove,the2014Acthasintroducedasimplifiedprocesswhichcanbefollowedbycompaniestoimplementcertainactivities(whichwouldotherwisebesubjecttorestrictionsunderthe2014Act),knownasthesummaryapprovalprocedure(“SAP”).TheSAPmaybeusedtoimplementamergerandinvolvesthefollowingsteps:

(a)adeclarationofsolvencythatcomplieswithSection206ofthe2014Acttobeswornbythedirectors/amajorityofdirectorsofeachofthemergingcompanies;

(b)thedeclarationreferredtoat(a)abovemustbeaccompaniedbyadocumentpreparedbythedirectors/majorityofdirectorsofeachoftheTransferorandTransfereeconfirmingcertainparticularswithrespecttothemerger;and

(c)aunanimousshareholderresolutionapprovingthemerger.

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11PrivateCompanyMerger

Points to Note

AsthePrivateCompanyMergerisanewprocedure,thereislimitedprecedentinIrelandwithrespecttosuchmergerstodate.

TheavailabilityoftheSAPforthepurposesofaPrivateCompanyMergerisusefulasitremovescourtinvolvementwhichcanbecostlyandtimeconsuming.TheCourtprocesswillremainrelevantforPLCMergersassuchcompaniescannotavailoftheSAPtoeffectamerger.

AstheTransferordissolvesautomatically,apre-mergerreorganisationmayberequiredinordertotransferassetsand/orliabilitiesoftheTransferorelsewherewithintheGroupwhereitisnotintendedthatsuchassetsorliabilitiesaretotransferaspartofthemerger.

NoemployeeparticipationrightsariseunderaPrivateCompanyMerger(bycontrastwithaCross-BorderMerger).

APrivateCompanyMergermaynotbelegallyeffectiveinthecaseofcontractswhicharenotgovernedbyIrishlaw.Dependingontherelevantgoverninglaw,itmaybenecessarytoassignornovatecertaincontractsoutsidethemergerprocess.Similarly,themergermaynotbeeffectivetotransferassetsoftheTransferorlocatedoutsideofIreland.ThesameChangeofControlissuesariseaswithaSchemeandaCross-BorderMerger.

PartialtransfersarenotachievableunderaPrivateCompanyMerger.The2014Actdoeshoweverprovidefordivisionsofprivatecompaniesandasubsequentmergerprocessortransactioncouldbeconductedwiththerelevantpartofthedividedentity.Anotificationto,ortheapprovalof,theCentralBankmayberequiredandanyrelevantregulatoryissuesinjurisdictionsoutsideIrelandneedtobeaddressed.

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PLCMerger

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13PLCMerger

Process

The2014ActintroducesaprocessforthemergerofpubliclimitedcompaniesregisteredinIreland(“PLCMerger”),whichreplacesthepreviousregimegoverningPLCMergersundertheEuropeanCommunities(MergersandDivisionofCompanies)Regulations1987.Thismechanismisavailableunderthe2014Act,providedatleastoneofthemergingcompaniesisaplc.

APLCMergerisverysimilartoaCross-BorderMerger,astherelevantprovisionsofthe2014Acthavebeenmodelledonthe2008Regulations.

InordertoimplementaPLCMergerthedirectorsofboththeTransferorandTransfereemustpreparetherelevantmergerdocumentationwhichmustbefiledintheCROandbepublishedintheCROGazette.

Aftera30dayperiodhaselapsed,thedrafttermsofmergermustbeapprovedbyaspecialresolutionpassedatageneralmeetingofeachofthemergingcompanies.TheTransferorandTransfereemaythenmakeajointapplicationtotheCourtforanorderconfirmingthePLCMerger.

TheCourtmaymakeanorderconfirmingthePLCMergerprovidedtherequirementsofthe2014Acthavebeencompliedwithandproperprovisionhasbeenmadeforanydissentingcreditorsorshareholders.Holdersofsecuritiesotherthansharesmust,incertaincircumstances,begiventhesameinterestsintheTransferee.TheorderoftheCourtwillcausealltheassetsandliabilitiesoftheTransferorCompanytotransfertotheTransfereeCompanyinaccordancewiththedrafttermsofmergerasapprovedbytheCourt.TheTransferorisdissolvedonthemergerbecomingeffective.

Anotificationto,ortheapprovalof,theCentralBankmayberequiredandanyrelevantregulatoryissuesinjurisdictionsoutsideIrelandneedtobeaddressed.

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14PLCMerger

Points to Note

AsthePLCMergerisanewprocedure,thereislimitedprecedentinIrelandwithrespecttosuchmergersunderthe2014Acttodate.

AstheTransferordissolvesautomatically,apre-mergerreorganisationmayberequiredinordertotransferassetsand/orliabilitiesoftheTransferorelsewherewithintheGroupwhereitisnotintendedthatsuchassetsorliabilitiesaretotransferaspartofthemerger.

NoemployeeparticipationrightsariseunderaPLCMerger(bycontrastwithaCross-BorderMerger).AswithaSchemeandthePrivateCompanyMerger,aPLCMergermaynotbeeffectiveforthepurposesofnon-Irishlawgovernedcontractsand/orthetransferofassetsoutsideofIreland.ThesameChangeofControlissuesalsoariseaswithaScheme,aCross-BorderMergerandaPrivateCompanyMerger.

PartialtransfersarenotachievableunderaPLCMerger.

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InsurancePortfolioTransfer

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Process

Aportfoliotransfer(“PortfolioTransfer”)involvesthetransferoftheinsuranceassetsandliabilities(oraportionthereof)ofoneauthorisedinsurer(the“Transferor”)toanotherauthorisedinsurer(the“Transferee”)andisaprocesswhichisrecognisedthroughouttheEU/EEA.

InordertotransferinsurancebusinesswhichhasbeenconcludedinIreland,section13oftheAssuranceCompaniesAct1909andsection36oftheInsuranceAct1989requirethatanapplicationforcourtsanctionismadebywayofpetitiontotheIrishHighCourt.Inaddition,theEuropeanUnion(InsuranceandReinsurance)Regulations2015alsorequirethattheIrishHighCourtsanctionsanyschemeofassignmentortransferofinsurancebusinessconcludedinIreland.

InordertoobtaintheapprovaloftheHighCourt,certainconditionsarerequiredtobefulfilledincludingthefollowing:

•theconsentoftheCentralBankmustbeobtained.TheCentralBankwillinturnliaisewithanyotherrelevantregulatoryauthorities(includingtheregulatoryauthorityresponsibleforsupervisingtheTransferee);

•policyholdernotifications(includinganindependentexpertreport,wherenecessary)musthavebeenmadeintheapprovedformat;and

•anypublicationrequirementsimposedmusthavebeensatisfied.

TheinsurancebusinessoftheTransferorisconsolidatedintotheinsurancebusinessoftheTransferee,withouttheTransfereehavingtoacquirethecorporateentityoftheTransferor.

ItispossibleaspartofaPortfolioTransfertoobtainanancillaryorderfromtheIrishHighCourtundersection36ofthe1989Act(“Section36”)whicheffectsthetransferofnon-insuranceassetsandliabilitiesoftheTransferortotheTransferee.

Points to Note

Adisadvantageisthatwherethenon-insuranceassetsandliabilitiesoftheTransferorarelocatedinEU/EEAMemberStatesoutsideIrelandorwherecontractstowhichtheTransferorisapartyaregovernedbythelawofanEU/EEAMemberStateotherthanIreland,thereissomedoubtastotheeffectivenessofanordergrantedunderSection36totransfersuchassetsandliabilities.RecentpracticeinIrelandthereforehasbeentoeffectthetransferofinsuranceassetsandliabilitiesbywayofaPortfolioTransferandthenon-insuranceassetsandliabilitiesbywayofaCross-BorderMerger.

InsurancePortfolioTransfer

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Statutoryschemefortransferofbankingbusiness

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18Statutoryschemefortransferofbankingbusiness

Process

ThetransferofassetsandliabilitiesrelatingtoabankingbusinessfromoneIrishlicensedbank(ora“passportedbranch”ofanEUCreditInstitution)toanotherIrishlicensedbank(ora“passportedbranch”ofanEUCreditInstitution)maybeeffectedbywayofastatutoryschemeoftransferassetoutinPartIIIoftheCentralBankAct1971(the“1971Act”).

Thepartiesmustsubmitaschemeforthetransfer(“BankSchemeofTransfer”)totheMinisterforFinance(the“Minister”)forhisapproval.TheBankSchemeofTransfershouldbesubmittednotlessthanfourmonthspriortotheproposedtransferdate.

TheMinister,afterconsultationwiththeCentralBank,willeitherapproveordeclinetoapprovetheproposedBankSchemeofTransferbyordernotlessthantwomonthsbeforethetransferdate.

ThestepstoeffectaBankSchemeofTransferareasfollows:

•ABankSchemeofTransferisdrafted,togetherwitharelatedtransferagreement;

•TheCentralBankandtheDepartmentofFinance“pre-clear”thedraftBankSchemeofTransferinadvance(thisreviewgenerallytakesaboutonemonth);

•TheBankSchemeofTransferandexecutedtransferagreementmustbesubmittedtotheMinisterforFinanceatleastfourmonthspriortotheproposedtransferdate;

•TheMinister,afterconsultationwiththeCentralBank,willeitherapproveordeclinetoapprovetheproposedBankSchemeofTransferbyorder(effectedpursuanttoaStatutoryInstrument)notlessthantwomonthspriortotheproposedtransferdate;and

•FollowingtheapprovaloftheBankSchemeofTransferbytheMinister,noticeoftheBankSchemeofTransfermustbepublishedinatleastonedailynewspaperatleastonemonthpriortotheproposedtransferdate.

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19

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19Statutoryschemefortransferofbankingbusiness

Points to Note

OneadvantageofaBankSchemeofTransferisthatanypotentialissueswillbeidentifiedinthepre-clearancephaseandcanberemediedpriortotheformalsubmissionoftheBankSchemeofTransfertotheMinister.Theriskofissuesemergingwhichmayaffectthetimetableisreduced.

TheBankSchemeofTransfermaynotbelegallyeffectiveinthecaseofcontractswhicharenotgovernedbyIrishlawif,undertherelevantgoverninglaw,theBankSchemeofTransferwouldnotberecognised.Stepsmayneedtobetaken,dependingontherelevantgoverninglaw,inordertoassignornovatethesecontractsoutsidetheBankSchemeofTransferprocess.Similarly,aBankSchemeofTransfermaynotbeeffectivetotransferassetslocatedoutsideIreland.

ThereisnoCourtprocess,whichreducescostsandtherelatedimpactontiming.

Adisadvantageisthetimelineassociatedwiththisprocess.Documentationmustbefinalisedatleastfivemonthspriortotheproposedtransferdate.

ThereissomedebateastotheextentofassetswhichmaybetransferredunderaBankSchemeofTransfer,however,theDepartmentofFinanceandtheCentralBankhaveapprovedBankSchemesofTransferwheretheassetsandbusinessesincludedwerenotspecificallyreferencedinthe1971Act.

The1971ActhasbeenamendedtoprovidespecificallyforBankSchemesofTransferswhich,intheopinionoftheMinister,areintendedto“preserveorrestorethefinancialpositionofthetransferorortransferee”.Theprocessunderthe1971Acthasbeenadaptedtoapplyinthatsituation.ThechangeswereintroducedundertheCreditInstitutions(Stabilisation)Act2010andwerepartofthemeasurestodealwiththeIrishbankingcrisis.

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CompaniesAct2014

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21

InadditiontothemechanismsformergingfinancialbusinessesdescribedpreviouslyinthisGuide,the2014Actincludesthefollowingprocedureswhichmaybeusefulwhenimplementingsuchtransactionsorre-organisations.

Divisions of Private Companies

The2014Actprovidesforthedivisionofprivatecompanies.Ina“divisionbyacquisition”twoormorecompaniesacquirebetweenthemalltheassetsandliabilitiesofanothercompanyinexchangeforsharesinthosecompanieswithorwithoutanaccompanyingcashpayment.Thetransferringcompanyisdissolvedwithoutgoingintoliquidation.Ina“divisionbyformationofnewcompanies”,thesameprocessisfollowedsavethattheacquiringcompaniesarenewlyformed.

Thedivisionprocessissimilartothemergerprocessunderthe2014Act,howevertheSAPwhichisavailableforthepurposesofmergingIrishprivatecompanies,maynotbeemployedforthepurposesofadivisionofacompany.

Commondrafttermsofdivisionand,incertaincases,adirectors'explanatoryreportandanexpert'sreporttoshareholdersmustbeprovided.EachcompanyinvolvedinthedivisionmustpassspecialresolutionsapprovingthedivisionandthedivisionmustthenalsobeconfirmedbytheHighCourt.

Share Capital Reduction

WhenimplementingthedifferenttypesofmergerreferredtointhisGuide,itmaybedesirableornecessarytoreduceacompany'ssharecapital.UnderthepriorCompaniesActs,acapitalreductionrequiredashareholderresolutionwhichwasconfirmedbyCourtorder.The2014Actintroducedasimplifiedprocessforcompanies(otherthanplcs)toeffectacapitalreductionnamely,theSAP.

The2014ActalsomodifiedtheCourtprocessbyshiftingthetimingoftheadvertisementofthereduction.

TheCourtprocessremainsrelevantforplcsassuchcompanieswillnotbeabletoavailoftheSAPtoeffectacapitalreductionanditstillopentoallcompaniestofollowtheCourtprocessinsteadofavailingoftheSAP(ifpreferable).

UsingtheSAPtoimplementacapitalreductionrequires:

(a) adeclarationofsolvencyinrespectofthecompanytobeswornbyitsdirectors/amajorityofitsdirectors;

(b) areportofapersonwhoisqualifiedtobethecompany'sstatutoryauditorwhichwouldstatewhether,inthatperson'sopinion,thedirectors'declarationisnotunreasonable;and

(c) theapprovalofaspecialresolutionofshareholders(75%threshold).

CompaniesAct2014

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Variation of Capital on Reorganisation

The2014Actincludesprovisionswherebyacompanymaytransferordisposeofassetsand/orliabilitiesorundertakingstoatransfereecompanyinexchangeforsecuritiesinthetransfereecompanybeingallottedtomembersofthecompanyoritsholdingcompany(ratherthanthecompanyitself).Suchatransactionwaspreviouslyregardedasadistributionwhichwasrequiredtobesupportedbydistributablereserves.Ifsuchreserveswereunavailablethenthetransactionconstitutedaformofcapitalreduction.Aswithacapitalreduction,suchavariationiscapableofbeingimplementedbyusingtheSAPasoutlinedabove(unlesstherelevantcompanyisaplc)orbyfollowingtheCourtprocesswhichisidenticaltotheCourtprocessinrespectofacapitalreduction.

CompaniesAct2014

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23ComparativeAnalysisTable

SchemeCross-BorderMerger

PrivateCompanyMerger

Division(PrivateCompany)

PLCMerger

InsurancePortfolioTransfer

ReinsurancePortfolioTransfer

BankSchemeof Transfer

5 36613078.1

Legallyeffective throughoutEU/EEA.

Notnecessarily.DueDiligencerequired.

Notnecessarily.DueDiligencerequired.

Notnecessarily.DueDiligencerequired.

Notnecessarily.DueDiligencerequired.

Notnecessarily.DueDiligencerequired.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.

Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.

Yes. Yes. Yes.No. No. No. No.

No. No.

Yes.

Yes butsomequestionmarks overIrish process.

PartialTransferspossible.

CourtApplicationrequired.

Only ifSAP notavailed of.

Effectiveto mergeany typeof asset.

Yes,apart frominsurancebusiness.

Yes,apart frominsurancebusiness.

Yes,apart frominsurancebusiness.

Yes,apart frominsurancebusiness.

Yes,apart frominsurancebusiness.

Onlyinsurancebusiness

Onlyreinsurancebusiness.

Some doubtabout theambit of this.

Can Changeof Controlclauses betriggered?

03.0

3.16