Bar Associations: Demand for Ethics and Sanctions for Claims Management Companies

The plenary session of Bar Associations decided at its meeting to request that the Minister of Finance and the Governor of the Bank of Greece proceed to the immediate legislative enactment of an ethical regulation for the operation of receivables management companies and the provision of effective sanctions in case of its violation.

Also, at the same meeting, a program was drawn up for lawyers to abstain from enforcement proceedings to expedite auctions, with mandating Banks or claims management companies, against the first residence of vulnerable households.

In fact, the Coordinating Committee is implementing a previous decision of the Plenary Session, of June 9, which, expressing strong disagreement with the provisions of the New Bankruptcy Code, considered that the meaningful protection of vulnerable debtors is not ensured, namely their first residence in the settlement and providing a second chance. In this context, it considered “absolutely necessary the suspension of the auctions of the first residence of the vulnerable debtors by law and the establishment of an ethical regulation for the operation of the claims management companies by law”.

The abstention program decided by the Coordinating Committee will be sent to the presidents of the country’s Bar Associations, in order to refer it, within a week, to the relevant Boards of Directors for decision.