Creditors of natural persons who are business owners have seen insolvency procedures rise sharply, with a 124.3 percent jump reported for the third quarter. The overall number of these procedures climbed by 29.1 percent, continuing a growth trend that began in 2020, according to data published by the General Council of the Judiciary on Monday.
Statistics focus on the impact of the crisis on the judicial system and on cases involving individuals as private clients. Only the increases during the period are highlighted, showing a mixed picture across different categories. Natural persons and business owners faced declines in other segments, with decreases of 56.2 percent for private individuals and 48.7 percent for legal entities compared with the same quarter last year.
In the third quarter of 2023, the total number of cases filed in commercial courts reached 9,330, marking a 29.1 percent rise from the previous year. This period saw Catalonia record the largest share of filings, with 2,598 cases representing 27.8 percent of the national total. Andalusia reported 1,289 cases, Madrid 1,243, and the Valencian Community 1,175.
Regarding insolvency proceedings for legal entities, 1,219 filings were recorded, a 48.7 percent drop from the same quarter in 2022. Catalonia topped the regional tally with 291 insolvency filings, accounting for 23 percent of the national total and marking the ninth consecutive quarter of activity. Madrid followed with 252, the Valencian Community with 149, and Andalusia with 140.
Meanwhile, private business owners increased their share of proceedings to 670, representing 56.2 percent of the total. Catalonia again led with 315 cases, making up 47 percent of the national total in this category, followed by Andalusia with 97, the Valencian Community with 58, and Madrid with 47.
Competitions for real people
Arrangements led by non-commercial parties, with increases compared to the third quarter of 2022, were noted in the report. The CGPJ highlights that the total procedures reached 7,441, up 124.3 percent from a year earlier. In this segment Catalonia again stood out, reporting 1,992 competitions, which accounts for 26.8 percent of the national total. Andalusia followed with 1,052, the Valencian Community with 968, and Madrid with 944.
Between July and September, a total of 53 competitions reached the settlement stage, while 646 entered liquidation. This latter figure shows a drop of 36.4 percent compared with the third quarter of 2022, illustrating a shift in the pace and nature of proceedings across regions and categories.