Debtor hiding real estate from a foreign creditor in bankruptcy proceedings in Poland – legal solutions to help creditors
Publication date: January 10, 2024
Polish judicial protection tools for the sale of real estate in international bankruptcy – case study and suggested solutions

In the Polish legal system, it is possible to extend bankruptcy declared abroad to Polish jurisdiction. In accordance with the amendment to the Polish Bankruptcy Law, which came into force on January 1, 2016, the provisions of the Act update the possibility of recognizing judgments initiating foreign bankruptcy proceedings. This is related, among other things, to increased emphasis on the universality of bankruptcy proceedings, especially in European Union countries. Pursuant to Article 19 of Regulation 2015/848 of the European Parliament and of the Council, “a judgment opening insolvency proceedings issued by a court of a Member State having jurisdiction in accordance with Art. 3 shall be recognized in all other Member States (…).” The phrase “having jurisdiction in accordance with Art. 3” – art. 3 of the Regulation reads: “1. The courts of the Member State in whose territory the debtor’s center of main interests is situated have jurisdiction to open insolvency proceedings – the main insolvency proceedings. The main bankruptcy proceedings are considered to be proceedings initiated in the country where the principal center of the debtor’s main activities is located (Article 3(1) of the Regulation)[1].