颁布日期：19800627 实施日期：19800627
本条例旨在业务转让时保障债权人，对承让人应承担业务上之责任、免承担该等责任之方法及对本条例附属及有关事项分别加以规定，并同时撤销防范业务转让舞弊条例。
〔1980年6月27日〕
1．简称
本条例定名为业务转让（债权人保障）条例。
2．释义
（1）在本条例内，除按照上下文另具意义者外，下开各词应解释如下——
“上诉”包括要求重新发还审讯或撤销原已裁定、裁决或判决之申请；
“业务”指包括行业或职业（专业除外）之业务，或其任何部分，而不论其是否为牟利而经营者；
“抵押”指——
（ａ）在《公司条例》（第32章）定义内之债券；
（ｂ）按揭；
（ｃ）动产抵押契据；
（ｄ）留置权；或
（ｅ）任何文件，
根据抵押条件，以业务或其任何资产作付款或履行责任之担保，而是项抵押亦包括衡平法上之抵押；
“受押人”指根据抵押条件，及为强制执行付款或履行责任而可出售任何业务之人士；
“转让日期”指转让生效或拟生效日期；
“转让通告”指根据第5条所规定之转让通告；
“已登记之抵押”指根据下开法律条文登记之抵押——
（ａ）《土地注册条例》（第128章）；
（ｂ）《公司条例》（第32章）；
（ｃ）《卖据条例》（第20章）；或
（ｄ）任何其他法规；
“转让”指业务之转让或出售，但不包括——
（ａ）出售该业务在日常经营中之生财工具；
（ｂ）办理抵押；
（ｃ）转让土地或土地之任何部分或与其有关之任何利益；或
（ｄ）转让船只（或转让与船只有关之任何利益或船只之任何部分），惟下开船只则不在此限——
（ｉ）《船舶及港口管理条例》（第313章）第Ⅳ部所适用之船只；或
（ｉｉ）《商船条例》（第281章）第Ⅻ部所适用之拖网渔船；
“承让人”指接受由出让人转让业务之人士；
“出让人”指——
（ａ）在根据抵押条件出售业务时，已将其业务出售或拟将其业务出售之人士；
（ｂ）在其他各种情况下，已由其本人或其代表将业务转让或拟将业务转让之人士。
（2）就本条例而言，“承让人”与“出让人”分别包括“次承让人”及“次出让人”。
3．业务承让人须承担出让人之责任
（1）除本条例另有规定外，凡连同或不连同商誉转让之业务，于转让时，纵使订有相反之协议，承让人仍须承担一切由出让人在经营业务时所欠下之债务及所须履行之责任，包括承担履行根据《税务条例》（第112章）课征或可课征税项之完税责任。
（2）纵使第（1）款已有规定，倘业务之一部分已转让（业务之商誉除外）及在任何诉讼案中——
（ａ）如非因本条款之规定，承让人可根据本条例而被裁定须承担出让人在经营业务时所欠下之债务及所须履行之责任；及
（ｂ）已向聆讯诉讼案之法院证明——
（ｉ）承让人出于真诚、并因其价值而购入该部分业务；及
（ｉｉ）在转让该部分业务之日，承让人对其所获得实为业务之一部分之实况，（不论凭实际、推断或认定）全不知情，
则根据本条例，承让人毋须承担出让人在经营该业务时所欠下之债务及所须履行之责任。
4．在若干情况下承让人可终止承担责任
（1）倘在转让日之前不逾四个月又不少于一个月之期间内发出转让通告，而在转让日已办妥发出通告手续，则承让人毋须承担第3条所规定之责任。
（2）倘转让通告业已发出，但在转让日尚未办妥转让通知手续，则承让人须在办妥转让通知手续之后方可终止承担第3条所规定之责任。
（3）倘在转让日之前或该日并未发出转让通告，则承让人须在办妥该日之后所发出通告之手续后方可终止承担第3条所规定之责任。
（4）除第（5）及第（6）款另有规定外，在转让通告按照第5条之规定最后刊出后足一个月时方算办妥手续。
（5）除第（6）款另有规定外，倘转让通告系指——
（ａ）为第（1）款所规定者，但有人就出让人在未办妥该通告手续之前及在其经营业务时应承担之责任事入禀法院向出让人提出诉讼；或
（ｂ）为第（1）或第（3）款所规定者，但有人就承让人在未办妥该通告手续之前须承担第3条所规定之责任事入禀法院向承让人提出诉讼，
在该等诉讼（包括所有可能提出之上诉）未作出最后裁定之前以及在所有准予进行上诉之期限尚未届满之前，则该转让通告仅就该等诉讼而言须视作手续尚未办妥论。
（6）倘有人提出诉讼，除非在提出诉讼之一个月内——
（ａ）诉讼通知书已送达出让人或承让人；或者
（ｂ）诉讼通知书已以挂号邮件送往出让人或承让人最后为人所知之地址，
否则转让通告不得根据第（5）款规定而视作手续尚未办妥论。
5．转让通告之内容及发出之方式
（1）除根据抵押条件以出售方式转让业务外，转让通告内应写明下开资料——
（ａ）出让人姓名及详细地址；
（ｂ）转让日期之前六个月内所经营之业务性质、名称及详细地址；
（ｃ）转让日期；
（ｄ）承让人姓名、住址及营业地点；
（ｅ）倘承让人——
（ｉ）拟继续经营或现正在经营该业务，则须写明该业务之详细地址及名称；或
（ｉｉ）并非正在经营或无意再继续经营该业务，则须作大意如此之声明；及
（ｆ）一份如下之声明：承让人依照第（3）款规定所刊登之通告，在最后刊出之日起计足有一个月，得根据本条例之规定终止承让人须承担出让人在经营业务时所欠下之债务及所须履行之责任（但如在该一个月期限未届满前已有人入禀法院提出诉讼，则不适用）。
（2）倘根据抵押条件以出售方式转让业务，则转让通告内应写明下开资料——
（ａ）转让日期之前三个月内所经营之业务性质、名称及详细地址；
（ｂ）业已或拟根据抵押条件以出售方式转让业务人士之姓名及详细地址；
（ｃ）业已或行将以出售方式转让业务所根据之抵押条件细则，内容足使任何为办理或证明抵押所具备之文件易于识别，在不限制列明上述一般性资料之原则下，应包括下列详细资料——
（ｉ）抵押之办理、执行或生效日期；
（ｉｉ）执行或办理抵押之报偿；倘无报偿，应列明在何种情况下有此抵押；
（ｉｉｉ）如经登记之抵押，应写明抵押之登记日期、登记所根据之法规名称以及办理抵押登记时用以识别之编号或其他方法；
（ｄ）转让日期；及
（ｅ）在下开日期仍未清付以抵押作为担保所应支付之款项数额——
（ｉ）转让通告之刊登日期；或
（ｉｉ）如转让已经生效，则为转让生效日期。
（3）所有转让通告均须由下开人士签署——
（ａ）如属第（1）款所适用之转让，应由出让人与承让人共同签署；或
（ｂ）如属第（2）款所适用之转让，应由受押人与承让人签署；
并应刊登在下开各刊物内——
（ｉ）政府宪报；
（ｉｉ）任何两份经行政司为执行本条例而予以认可之本地中文报章；及
（ｉｉｉ）一份经同样认可之本地英文报章。
6．承让人可获补偿之权利
（1）承让人有权向下开人士，即——
（ａ）出让人（但不包括根据抵押条件以出售方式转让业务之人士）；或
（ｂ）受押人（倘业务系根据抵押条件以出售方式转让者），索偿根据本条例之规定其须负担之所有款项，而承让人如非因有本条例之规定，实可毋须负担此等款项。
（2）该类补偿款项可当作债务或所规定之追讨金额循民事诉讼程序加以追讨。
7．各有关人士之责任不受影响
本条例之规定不得用以宽免或视作可以宽免出让人或承让人、或任何根据抵押条件出售业务之人士根据其他法律条文应承担之责任。
8．承让人承担有限责任
（1）倘承让人出于真诚及无偏袒之情形下，于转让生效日已清付为数与所购置业务价值相等之款项，以履行或局部履行其根据本条例之规定应承担之责任，则根据本条例之规定，毋须进一步承担责任，而承让人如非因有本条例之规定实可毋须承担此等责任。
（2）除非能提出相反之证明，否则承让人于转让生效日所购置业务之价值，应推定为相等于为购置该业务而支付或同意支付之数额（不论是按货币或是按其他报偿计算者）。
9．提出诉讼之时限
除第6条另有规定外，凡属于业务转让上之责任，在业务转让生效日起计已超过一年时，不得向法院提出诉讼，要求根据本条例之规定应负责之人士清还任何债务或迫使其履行责任，而此等人士如非因有本条例之规定，实可毋须承担此等责任。
10．保留条文
本条例对业务由下开人士或法团提出或因下开原因而获得转让之承让人概不适用——
（ａ）由破产管理官或破产管理人提出；
（ｂ）由并非是自动清盘之公司清盘人提出；
（ｃ）由财政司管理法团提出；
（ｄ）由教育署署长管理法团提出；
（ｅ）由社会福利署署长管理法团提出；
（ｆ）由根据抵押条件出售业务之人士提出，而该业务须在转让生效日起已抵押并登记备案不少于一年者；
（ｇ）因执行法庭之法令或指示；
（ｈ）由遗嘱执行人或遗产管理人提出；或
（ｉ）因法律上之约束效力。
11．撤销及保留条文
（1）《防范业务转让舞弊条例》（第49章1964年版）现予以撤销。
（2）纵使第（1）款已有规定，但如转让在本条例付诸实施前——
（ａ）已经生效；及
（ｂ）其通告已根据《防范业务转让舞弊条例》第3条之规定发出，
则《防范业务转让舞弊条例》对此等转让仍应适用，效力一如本条例尚未通过之时。
transfer of businesses (protection of creditors) ordinance
(chapter 49)
whole document:
to protect creditors on the transfer of businesses, to provide for theliability of transferees of business, the manner in which such liabilitymay be avoided and for matters incidental thereto and connected therewith,and to repeal the fraudulent transfers of businesses ordinance.[27 june 1980]
1. short title
this ordinance may be cited as the transfer of businesses (protection ofcreditors) ordinance.
2. interpretation
(1) in this ordinance, unless the context otherwise requires--"appeal" includes a motion for a new trial or to set aside a verdict,finding orjudgment;"business" means a business, or any part thereof, consisting of a trade oroccupation (other than a profession) whether or not it is carried onwitha view to profit; "charge" means--(a) a debenture within the meaning of the companies ordinance (cap. 32);(b) a mortgage;(c) a bill of sale;(d) a lien; or(e) any document,under or pursuant to which a business or any assets thereof are charged assecurity for the payment of money or the performance of an obligation, andincludes an equitable charge;"charge-holder" means a person who, under or pursuant to a charge, and forthe purpose of enforcing paymentof any money or for the performance ofany obligation, may sell any business;"date of transfer" means the date on which a transfer takes effect or isintended to take effect;"notice of transfer" means a notice of transfer in accordance with section5; "registered charge" means a charge which is registered under--(a) the land registration ordinance (cap. 128);(b) the companies ordinance (cap. 32);(c) the bills of sale ordinance (cap. 20); or(d) any other enactment;"transfer" means the transfer or sale of a business, but does not include-(a) the sale of the stock-in-trade of a business in the ordinary course ofits trade;(b) the creation of a charge;(c) the transfer of land or any share or interest therein; or(d) the transfer of a vessel (or the transfer of any interest or sharetherein), other than--(i) a vessel to which part iv of the shipping and port control ordinance(cap. 313) applies; or(ii) a trawler to which part xii of the merchant shipping ordinance (cap.281) applies; "transferee" means the person to whom a business istransferred by a transferor; "transferor" means--(a) in the case of the sale of a business under or pursuant to a charge,the person whose business has been or is intended to be sold;(b) in every other case, the person by whom or on whose behalf thetransfer has been or is intended to be made.(2) for the purposes of this ordinance "transferor" and "transferee"respectively include a sub-transferor and a sub-transferee.
3. transferee of business to be liable for liabilities of trans- feror
(1) subject to this ordinance, whenever any business is transferred, withor without the goodwill thereof, the transferee shall, notwithstanding anyagreement to the contrary, become liable for all the debts andobligations, including liability for tax charged or chargeable under theinland revenue ordinance (cap. 112), arising out of the carrying on of thebusiness by the transferor.(2) notwithstanding subsection (1), where a part of a business istransferred (other than the goodwill thereof) and in any proceedings--(a) the transferee would, but for this subsection, be adjudged liableunder this ordinance for any debts and obligations arising out of thecarrying on of the business by the transferor; and(b) it is shown to the satisfaction of the court hearing the proceedingsthat--(i) the transferee purchased such part of the business in good faith andfor value; and(ii) at the date of transfer of such part of the business, the transfereehad no knowledge (whether actual, constructive or imputed)that what he was acquiring formed part of a business,the transferee shall not be liable under this ordinance for the debts andobligations arising out of the carrying on of the business by thetransferor.
4. circumstances in which the transferee's liability ceases
(1) a transferee shall not become liable under section 3 if a notice oftransfer has been given not more than 4 months, and not less than 1 month,before the date of transfer and has become complete at the date oftransfer.(2) where a notice of transfer has been given but the notice has notbecome complete at the date of transfer, the liability of the transfereeunder section 3 shall cease with effect from the date on which the noticeof transfer becomes complete.(3) where a notice of transfer has not been given before or at the date oftransfer, the liability of the transferee under section 3 shall cease witheffect from the date on which a notice of transfer, which is given afterthe date of transfer, becomes complete.(4) a notice oftransfer shall, subject to subsections (5) and (6), becomecomplete upon the expiration of 1 month after the date of the lastpublication of the notice in accordance with section 5.(5) subject to subsection (6), in the case of a notice of transferreferred to--(a) in subsection (1), if proceedings are instituted against thetransferor in respect of any liability of the transferor arising beforesuch notice has become complete and out of the carrying on of hisbusiness; or(b) in subsection (2) or (3), if proceedings are instituted against thetransferee in respect of any liability of the transferee under section 3arising before such notice becomes complete,the notice of transfer shall (for the purposes of such proceedings only)be deemed incomplete pending the final determination of such proceedings,including all possible appeals, and pending the expiration of all periodsduring which such appeals may be brought.(6) where proceedings are instituted, a notice of transfer shall not bedeemed incomplete under subsection (5) unless within 1 month of theproceedings being instituted--(a) they are served on the transferor or transferee, as the case may be;or(b) written notice that they have been instituted is sent by registeredpost to the last known address of such transferor or transferee.
5. contents of notice of transfer and manner of giving notice
(1) except in the case of a transfer by way of sale under or pursuant to acharge, a notice of transfer shall contain the following particulars--(a) the full name and address of the transferor;(b) the nature of the business and the name or style under which, and thefull address at which, it has been carried on during the period of 6months immediately preceding the date of transfer;(c) the date of transfer;(d) the full name and the residential and business addresses of thetransferee;(e) if the transferee--(i) intends to carry on or is carrying on the business, the full addresswhere, and the name and style under which, he is carrying it on or intendsto carry it on; or(ii) is not carrying on the business and does not intend to carry it on, astatement to that effect; and(f) a statement that at the expiration of 1 month after the date of thelast publication of the notice pursuant to subsection (3), the liabilityof the transferee for all the debts and obligations arising out of thecarrying on of the business by the transferor shall cease by virtue ofthis ordinance unless proceedings are instituted prior to such expiration.(2) in the case of a transfer by way of sale under or pursuant to acharge, a notice of transfer shall contain the following particulars--(a) the nature of the business, and the name or style under which, and thefull address at which, it has been carried on during the period of 3months immediately preceding the date of transfer;(b) the full name and address of the person whose business has been, or isintended to be, transferred by way of sale under or pursuant to thecharge;(c) details of the charge under or pursuant to which the transfer by wayof sale has been or is to be made, sufficient to enable any documentcreating or evidencingthe charge to be readily identified and, withoutlimiting the generality of the foregoing, such details shall include--(i) the date when the charge was made, given, executed or came intoexistence;(ii) the consideration for which the charge was executed, made or givenor, if there was no such consideration, the circumstances in which it cameinto existence;(iii) in the case of a registered charge, the date of the registration ofthe charge, the title of any enactment under which it was registered andany number or other means of identifying the charge assigned to it uponregistration;(d) the date of transfer; and(e) the amount of money, payment of which has been secured by the chargeand which was owing--(i) at the date of the publication ofthe notice of transfer; or(ii) if the transfer has already taken effect, at the date of the transferso taking effect.(3) every notice of transfer shall be signed--(a) by both the transferor and the transferee, in the case of a transferto which subsection (1) applies; or(b) by the charge-holder and the transferee, in the case of a transfer towhich subsection (2) applies,and shall be given by publication in--(i) the gazette;(ii) any 2 of such chinese language newspapers circulating in hong kong asmay be approved for the purpose by the chief secretary; and (amended l. n.67 of 1985; l. n. 242 of 1989)(iii) 1 english language newspaper circulating in hong kong which has beenso approved.
6. right of transferee to indemnity
(1) the transferee shall be entitled to be indemnified--(a) by the transferor, except in the case of a transfer by way of saleunder or pursuant to a charge; or(b) by the charge-holder, if the transfer is by way of sale under orpursuant to a charge,for all amounts for which the transferee is made liable under thisordinance and for which he would not otherwise be liable.(2) the amount of such an indemnity may be recovered by civil proceedingsas a debt or liquidated demand.
7. liability of parties not affected
nothing in this ordinance shall relieve or be deemed to relieve atransferor or transferee, or any person who sells a business under orpursuant to a charge, from any liability to which he would otherwise besubject.
8. limitation of liability of transferee
(1) a transferee who in good faith and without preference has paid indischarge or partial discharge of any liability for which he became liableunder this ordinance, and for which he would not otherwise have beenliable, an amount which is equal to the value of the business acquired byhim, at the date on which the transfer took effect, shall not be liablefurther under this ordinance.(2) the value of a business acquired by a transferee at the date on whichthe transfer takes effect shall, until the contrary is proved, be presumedto be an amount equal to the amount paid or agreed to be paid (whether interms of money or by means of any other consideration) for the acquisitionof the business.
9. limitation of time for institution of proceedings
subject to section 6, no action shall be instituted to recover any debtfrom or to enforce any obligation against any person liable therefor underthis ordinance, and for which he would not otherwise have been liable,more than 1 year after the date on which the transfer in respect of whichtheliability arose took effect.
10. saving
this ordinance shall not apply to any transferee where the transferis effected--(a) by the official receiver or a trustee in bankruptcy;(b) by theliquidator of a company in liquidation other than voluntaryliquidation;(c) by the financial secretary incorporated; (amended l. n. 369 of 1989)(d) by the director of education incorporated;(e) by the director of social welfare incorporated;(f) by a person selling under or pursuant to a charge which has beenregistered for not less than 1 year at the date when the transfer takeseffect;(g) pursuant to any order or direction of any court;(h) by an executor or administrator; or(i) by operation of law.
11. repeal and saving
(1) the fraudulent transfers of businesses ordinance (cap. 49, 1964 ed.)is repealed.(2) notwithstanding subsection (1), the fraudulent transfersof businessesordinance (cap. 49, 1964 ed. ) shall continue to apply with respect to atransfer--(a) which took effect; and(b) in respect of which notice was given under section 3 of thatordinance, before the coming into operation of this ordinance, as if thisordinance had not been passed.
来源: 北京民间借贷纠纷律师
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