In Short
The Context: In the wake of the
Saint-Leu-la-Forêt decision of May 28, 2018, France's
Court of Cassation issued an important decision on structured swaps
concerning legal actions brought by public authorities against
banks that had marketed these products.
The Outcome: The Court fully rejected the
claims of Saint-Germain-en-Laye SIDRU (Syndicat Intercommunal
de Destruction des Résidus Urbains) against Depfa Bank
plc.
The Impact: The Court's September 5, 2018,
judgment has many lessons on the concept of inherent risk
derivatives transactions and the concept of speculation in the
provision of investment services.
The SIDRU of Saint-Germain-en-Laye has finally lost its case.
This household waste treatment syndicate of several municipalities
in the western region of Paris took legal action against Depfa Bank
plc in May 2011 and did not hesitate to publicize its case against
so-called "toxic" swaps. France's Court of Cassation,
however, has put an end to