The Cross-Border Insolvency Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007

Article 20. Effects of recognition of a foreign main proceeding

1.  Upon recognition of a foreign proceeding that is a foreign main proceeding, subject to paragraph 2—

(a) commencement or continuation of individual actions or individual proceedings concerning the debtor’s assets, rights, obligations or liabilities is stayed;

(b) execution against the debtor’s assets is stayed; and

(c) the right to transfer, encumber or otherwise dispose of any assets of the debtor is suspended.

2.  The stay and suspension referred to in paragraph 1 shall be—

(a) the same in scope and effect as if the debtor, in the case of an individual, had been adjudged bankrupt under the Insolvency (Northern Ireland) Order 1989, or, in the case of a debtor other than an individual, had been made the subject of a winding-up order under that Order; and

(b) subject to the same powers of the court and the same prohibitions, limitations, exceptions and conditions as would apply under the law of Northern Ireland in such a case,

and the provisions of paragraph 1 shall be interpreted accordingly.

3.  Without prejudice to paragraph 2, the stay and suspension referred to in paragraph 1, in particular, does not affect any right—

(a) to take any steps to enforce security over the debtor’s property;

(b) to take any steps to repossess goods in the debtor’s possession under a hire-purchase agreement;

(c) exercisable under or by virtue of or in connection with the provisions referred to in article 1(4); or

(d) of a creditor to set off its claim against a claim of the debtor,

being a right which would have been exercisable if the debtor, in the case of an individual, had been adjudged bankrupt under the Insolvency (Northern Ireland) Order 1989, or, in the case of a debtor other than an individual, had been made the subject of a winding-up order under that Order.

4.  Paragraph 1(a) does not affect the right to—

(a) commence individual actions or proceedings to the extent necessary to preserve a claim against the debtor; or

(b) commence or continue any criminal proceedings or any action or proceedings by a person or body having regulatory, supervisory or investigative functions of a public nature, being an action or proceedings brought in the exercise of those functions.

5.  Paragraph 1 does not affect the right to request or otherwise initiate the commencement of a proceeding under Northern Ireland insolvency law or the right to file claims in such a proceeding.

6.  In addition to and without prejudice to any powers of the court under or by virtue of paragraph 2, the court may, on the application of the foreign representative or a person affected by the stay and suspension referred to in paragraph 1, or of its own motion, modify or terminate such stay and suspension or any part of it, either altogether or for a limited time, on such terms and conditions as the court thinks fit.