This paper provides a comprehensive survey of pertinent issues on sovereign debt restructurings, based on a newly constructed database. This is the first complete dataset of sovereign restructuring cases, covering the six decades from 1950–2010; it includes 186 debt exchanges with foreign banks and bondholders, and 447 bilateral debt agreements with the Paris Club. We present new stylized facts on the outcome and process of debt restructurings, including on the size of haircuts, creditor participation, and legal aspects. In addition, the paper summarizes the relevant empirical literature, analyzes recent restructuring episodes, and discusses ongoing debates on crisis resolution mechanisms, credit default swaps, and the role of collective action clauses.

The current approach to resolving sovereign debt crises does not work: sovereign debt restructurings come too late and address too little. Though unresolved debt crises impose enormous costs on societies, many recent restructurings have not been deep enough to provide the conditions for economic recovery (as illustrated by the Greek debt restructuring of 2012). And if the debtor decides not to accept the terms demanded by the creditors, finalizing a restructuring can be slowed by legal challenges (as illustrated by the recent case of Argentina, deemed as "the trial of the century"). A fresh start for distressed debtors is a basic principle of a well-functioning market economy, yet there is no international bankruptcy framework for sovereign debts. While this problem is not new, the United Nations and the global community are now willing to do something about it. Providing guidance for those who intend to take up reform, this book assesses the relative merits of various debt-restructuring proposals, especially in relation to the main deficiencies of the current nonsystem. With contributions by leading academics and practitioners, Too Little, Too Late reflects the overwhelming consensus among specialists on the need to find workable solutions.

Staff Discussion Notes showcase the latest policy-related analysis and research being developed by individual IMF staff and are published to elicit comment and to further debate. These papers are generally brief and written in nontechnical language, and so are aimed at a broad audience interested in economic policy issues. This Web-only series replaced Staff Position Notes in January 2011.

Written by IMF's Legal Department, this book outlines the key issues involved in designing and implementing orderly and effective insolvency procedures, which play a critical role in fostering growth and competitiveness and may also assist in the prevention and resolution of financial crises. The book draws on lessons learned from firsthand experience by some of the IMF's 182 member countries. It includes an analysis of the major policy choices that countries need to address when designing an insolvency system, a discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of these choices, and a number of specific recommendations.

The new second edition of Debt Restructuring provides detailed legal analysis of international corporate, banking, and sovereign debt restructuring, from the perspective of both creditors and debtors. It sets out practical guidance to help practitioners, policy-makers and academics to understand current developments in debt restructuring, and provides solutions for creditors holding distressed debt and debtor options in a distressed scenario. The Corporate Debt section includes a number of very significant changes such as the UK Supreme Court decision in Eurosail and the disapproval of the "point of no return" test for balance sheet insolvency or the endorsement of the Cheyne Finance decision on cashflow. The changes in treatment of schemes of arrangement since with the decision in Rodenstock are reflected as are the Recast European Insolvency Regulation (EIR) and the Supreme Court decision in Rubin. In the US chapter the new edition considers the limitations on bankruptcy court jurisdiction in Stern v. Marshall and, in the RadLax case, the right of secured creditors to credit bid in a sale of their collateral under a chapter 11 plan. Other significant case law includes consideration of the various safe harbour provisions of the Bankruptcy Code relating to derivative and other financial instruments and cases concerning the effect of foreign court orders in the US. In the Bank Resolution section, the UK part also has been substantially amended to reflect the new system of macro and micro prudential oversight with the establishment of the PRA, FCA, FPC, and the FSCS. Additionally it reflects changes introduced by the Financial Services Act 2012 and by the Financial Services (Banking Reform) Act 2013. Additionally there is a new chapter in this part on the EU framework on the resolution of banks and financial institutions which analyses and explains initiatives such as SRM, and the Bank Recovery and Resolution Directive. The US chapter reflects changes in Fannie and Freddie conservatorships, the FDIC's SPE strategy under Dodd-Frank, the proposed GLAC requirements, and resolution plan filings. In the Sovereign Debt section, there is detailed coverage of the New York litigation on the pari passu litigation and its interpretation in sovereign debt contracts. Also, this section of the book analyses the adoption of single-limb CACs in the aftermath of the Greek restructuring as well as the proposal for creditor engagement clauses. It also provides full analysis of the EU architecture implemented to prevent a sovereign debt crisis, including the creation of new stabilization mechanisms (EFSF and ESM), and the challenges presented to the single-currency area.

With the increasing interdependence of global economies, international relations are becoming a more complex system. Through this, the growth of any economy is dependent upon the ease of business transactions; however, in recent times, there has been a growing impact of corporate insolvency law. Corporate Insolvency Law and Bankruptcy Reforms in the Global Economy is an essential reference source that discusses the importance of insolvency laws in the financial architecture of emerging economies, as well as its fundamental issues. Featuring research on topics such as business restructuring, debt recovery, and governance regulations, this book is ideally designed for law students, policymakers, economists, lawyers, and business researchers seeking coverage on the jurisprudence and policy of corporate insolvency law in a globalized context.

This is the first volume in the new Oxford International and Comparative Insolvency Law Series. The series will provide a comparative analysis of all important aspects of insolvency proceedings and domestic insolvency laws in the main economically developed and emerging countries, starting with the opening of proceedings. This volume addresses the commencement of insolvency proceedings over business debtors and the conditions in which they may arise. It explains the types of proceedings available and the participants involved. The book also analyses the effect of such action on the various players, assets and liabilities concerned. The detail and uniform nature of the treatment of topics helps practitioners to understand specific features of a foreign legal system and effectively brief foreign counsel. For all readers, the book provides access, through analysis in the detailed commentary, to material that was previously only available in a foreign language. Most major legal families (including various mixed legal systems) are covered to reflect the needs of the international insolvency community and intergovernmental organizations. This is the only book that offers a thorough comparative analysis of existing domestic insolvency laws concerning the opening of insolvency proceedings in the main economically developed and emerging countries.