United Kingdom (and EU regulation)

NCA 2019 report reveals increase of over 50% in consent SARs

Andrew Reeves (UK)By Andrew Reeves (UK) on Posted in Investigations and enforcement, United Kingdom
The National Crime Agency (NCA) has published its Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) Annual Report 2019. The report shows that the number of SARs has continued to increase; an issue that prompted the Law Commission to propose a series of reforms to the SAR regime earlier this year. There has been a 3% increase in the … Continue Reading

FCA statement on SEC decision to extend no-action relief relating to MiFID II inducements and research provisions

Imogen Garner (UK)Hannah Meakin (UK)By Imogen Garner (UK) and Hannah Meakin (UK) on Posted in Regulation and compliance, United Kingdom
On 8 November 2019, the FCA published a statement on the US Securities and Exchange Commission’s announcement to extend the SEC staff “no action letter” relating to the MiFID II Directive inducements and research provisions. The letter addresses the potential conflict between US regulation and MiFID II. The existing relief was due to expire on … Continue Reading

Financial Services Duty of Care Bill to make no further progress

Simon Lovegrove (UK)By Simon Lovegrove (UK) on Posted in General, United Kingdom
On 8 November 2019, the UK Parliament updated its webpage on the Financial Services Duty of Care Bill 2019 (the Bill). Following the dissolution of the 2017-2019 Parliament, the Bill will make no further progress. For more information on the Bill, see our previous blog here. In October 2019, the FCA expressed its intentions to … Continue Reading

FSB plenary meeting November 2019

Simon Lovegrove (UK)By Simon Lovegrove (UK) on Posted in Banking, Banking, Banking, Banking, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, United Kingdom
On 7 November 2019, the Financial Stability Board (FSB) published a press release outlining the discussions held during its plenary meeting in New York. Key points from the meeting include: Current vulnerabilities in the global financial system. Members discussed a report assessing vulnerabilities associated with leveraged loans and collateralised loan obligations. The report suggests that … Continue Reading

Commission Delegated Regulation amending PRIIPs Delegated Regulation to align transitional arrangements

Matthew Gregory (UK)Joe Bamford (UK)By Matthew Gregory (UK) and Joe Bamford (UK) on Posted in France, Germany, Italy, Retail, Retail, Retail, Retail, The Netherlands, United Kingdom
On 8 November 2019, there was published in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJ) a  Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/1866 which amends Article 18 of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/653 supplementing the Regulation on key information documents for packaged retail and insurance-based investment products (PRIIPs) by laying down regulatory technical standards with regard to … Continue Reading

Council of EU adopts EU consumer protection Directive

Matthew Gregory (UK)Joe Bamford (UK)By Matthew Gregory (UK) and Joe Bamford (UK) on Posted in France, Germany, Italy, Retail, Retail, Retail, Retail, The Netherlands, United Kingdom
On 8 November 2019, the Council of the EU announced that it had adopted a Directive amending the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive (2005/29/EC), the Consumer Rights Directive (2011/83/EU), the Unfair Contract Terms Directive (93/13/EEC) and the Price Indication Directive (98/6/EC) (the Directive). The intention of the Directive is to guarantee higher standards of protection for … Continue Reading

Council of EU adopts legislative reforms to progress the Capital Markets Union

Anna Carrier (BE)Daniel Nevzat (UK)By Anna Carrier (BE) and Daniel Nevzat (UK) on Posted in EU policy, regulatory and legislative updates, EU policy, regulatory and legislative updates, EU policy, regulatory and legislative updates, EU policy, regulatory and legislative updates, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, United Kingdom
On 8 November 2019, the Council of the EU announced that it had adopted a set of legislative reforms which are part of the progress towards forming the Capital Markets Union, including: the creation of a new category of benchmarks contributing to sustainable finance; transparency obligations for sustainable investments; a new prudential framework for investment … Continue Reading

EBA progress report on NPLs

Simon Lovegrove (UK)Jochen Vester (UK)By Simon Lovegrove (UK) and Jochen Vester (UK) on Posted in Banking, Banking, Banking, Banking, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, United Kingdom
On 8 November 2019, the European Banking Authority (EBA) published its second thematic report on non-performing loans (NPLs). The report is based on supervisory data of asset quality metrics, and provides an update on the progress made so far in addressing NPLs in Europe. It also takes stock of ongoing initiatives to tackle the NPL … Continue Reading

PRA sends ‘Dear CEO’ letter to general insurance firms setting out current areas of focus

Laura Hodgson (UK)By Laura Hodgson (UK) on Posted in Insurance, United Kingdom
On 5th November, acting director of insurance supervision at the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA), Gareth Truran, sent a letter to the Chief Executives of general insurance firms. The letter sets out the PRA’s priorities for the general insurance sector in the coming months. The letter focuses on: Reserving adequacy, governance and controls – particularly in … Continue Reading

New Banking horizons video: All change: the trends reshaping the global payments landscape

Alan Bainbridge (UK)Albert Weatherill (UK)By Alan Bainbridge (UK) and Albert Weatherill (UK) on Posted in Seminars and webinars, United Kingdom
In our latest Banking horizons video, Alan Bainbridge, partner and global head of banks, and Albert Weatherill, senior associate, discuss the commercial, legal and regulatory issues currently impacting the payments space, as well as what they see as lying ahead.… Continue Reading

FCA statement on UK EMIR validation rules

Hannah Meakin (UK)Jochen Vester (UK)By Hannah Meakin (UK) and Jochen Vester (UK) on Posted in Brexit, Clearing and settlement, United Kingdom
On 7 November 2019, the FCA published an updated statement on the reporting of derivatives under the UK EMIR regime in a no-deal scenario. The statement explains that in the event that the UK withdraws from the EU without an agreed deal on 31 January 2020, UK reporting counterparties and trade repositories (TRs) should use … Continue Reading

ECB working group recommendations for fallback provisions in contracts referencing LIBOR

Hannah Meakin (UK)Imogen Garner (UK)By Hannah Meakin (UK) and Imogen Garner (UK) on Posted in Benchmarks, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, United Kingdom
On 6 November 2019, the European Central Banks’s (ECB) working group on euro risk-free rates issued high level recommendations for fallback provisions in contracts referencing EURIBOR. The working group notes that historically, contractual fallback provisions generally only contemplate the temporary unavailability of EURIBOR and do not address its permanent cessation and/or any differences between EURIBOR … Continue Reading

OJ publication – RTS on the homogeneity of the underlying exposures in securitisation

Luke RodgersJochen Vester (UK)By Luke Rodgers and Jochen Vester (UK) on Posted in Banking, Banking, Banking, Banking, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, United Kingdom
In July the European Banking Authority published two final draft regulatory technical standards (RTS) under the Securitisation Regulation. The first of these RTS established the conditions for which underlying exposures are to be considered homogeneous, being one of the requirements with respect to simplicity, standardisation and transparency of a securitisation transaction. Our earlier blog is … Continue Reading

Council of EU and European Commission draft joint statement on stablecoins

Albert Weatherill (UK)Matthew Gregory (UK)By Albert Weatherill (UK) and Matthew Gregory (UK) on Posted in Fintech, Fintech, Fintech, Fintech, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, United Kingdom
On 6 November 2019, the Council of the EU released a note (13571/19) from its Presidency addressed to it, which annexes a joint statement of the Council and the European Commission (Commission) on stablecoins. In particular, the joint statement provides that “the Council and the Commission state that no global stablecoin arrangement should begin operation … Continue Reading

EBA revised materials for EU-wide stress test 2020

Jochen Vester (UK)Simon Lovegrove (UK)By Jochen Vester (UK) and Simon Lovegrove (UK) on Posted in Banking, Banking, Banking, Banking, Capital adequacy, Capital Adequacy, Capital adequacy, Capital adequacy, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, United Kingdom
On 7 November 2019, the European Banking Authority (EBA) published the final methodology and draft templates for its 2020 EU-wide stress test along with key milestones of the exercise. The objective of the stress test is to provide EU supervisors, banks and other market participants with a common analytical framework to consistently compare and assess … Continue Reading

New EU prudential regime for investment firms – webinar recording

Hannah Meakin (UK)Anna Carrier (BE)Jochen Vester (UK)Iona Wright (UK)Simon Lovegrove (UK)By Hannah Meakin (UK), Anna Carrier (BE), Jochen Vester (UK), Iona Wright (UK) and Simon Lovegrove (UK) on Posted in France, Germany, Italy, Seminars and webinars, The Netherlands, United Kingdom
The recording from our latest 40 minute briefing webinar covering the new EU prudential regime for investment firms is now available. The webinar covers: Where we are in the legislative process for the IFR and IFD; Transitional provisions; Firm classification; New prudential requirements; Remuneration and governance; Equivalence; and What does the new regime mean in … Continue Reading

FMLC addendum to paper on legal uncertainty arising out of Brexit – the provision and application of third country regimes in EU legislation

Simon Lovegrove (UK)By Simon Lovegrove (UK) on Posted in Brexit, United Kingdom
On 5 November 2019, the Financial Markets Law Committee (FMLC) published an addendum to its July 2017 paper (see previous blog here) which focused on issues of legal uncertainty arising out of the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union without retaining access to the Single Market under any other legal provision. The addendum provides key … Continue Reading

The Prospectus Directive and Transparency Directive Equivalence (Variation) Directions 2019

Simon Lovegrove (UK)Jochen Vester (UK)By Simon Lovegrove (UK) and Jochen Vester (UK) on Posted in Brexit, United Kingdom
On 6 November 2019, there was published on legislation.gov.uk the Prospectus Directive and Transparency Directive Equivalence (Variation) Directions 2019 (Directions). The Directions have been made by HM Treasury in exercise of the power conferred by regulation 2(1) and paragraph 9 of Schedule 1 of the Equivalence Determinations for Financial Services and Miscellaneous Provisions (Amendment etc) … Continue Reading

Financial services related inquiries close following dissolution of UK Parliament

Simon Lovegrove (UK)By Simon Lovegrove (UK) on Posted in Brexit, United Kingdom
On 6 November 2019, there was published on parliament.uk an update concerning the UK General Election 2019. Following the dissolution of the UK Parliament on 6 November, all select committees have ceased to exist, and until the committees are reappointed after the General Election on 12 December 2019, there are no chairs or members of … Continue Reading

ECB TARGET2 Decision and Guideline published in OJ

Jochen Vester (UK)By Jochen Vester (UK) on Posted in Banking, Banking, Banking, Banking, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, United Kingdom
On 5 November 2019, there was published in the Official Journal of the EU (OJ): Decision (EU) 2019/1848 of the European Central Bank (ECB) of 29 October 2019 amending Decision ECB/2007/7 concerning the terms and conditions of TARGET2-ECB (ECB/2019/32) (the Decision). The Decision is amended to reflect the changes made on 4 October 2019 by … Continue Reading

ESMA consultation on MiFID II position limits

Anna Carrier (BE)By Anna Carrier (BE) on Posted in EU policy, regulatory and legislative updates, EU policy, regulatory and legislative updates, EU policy, regulatory and legislative updates, EU policy, regulatory and legislative updates, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, United Kingdom
On Tuesday, 05 November 2019, ESMA launched public consultation on position limits and position management controls in commodity derivatives. The consultation paper is divided into two parts and covers – (1) MiFID II review report on the application of position limits and position management controls and (2) technical advice on position reporting thresholds. Following on … Continue Reading

FCA asks Authorised Fund Managers to review their liquidity management arrangements

Imogen Garner (UK)Iona Wright (UK)By Imogen Garner (UK) and Iona Wright (UK) on Posted in Collective investment schemes, United Kingdom
On 4 November 2019, the FCA published a letter sent by the head of its Asset Management Department, Nick Miller, to the Chairs of Authorised Fund Managers (AFMs) in relation to good practices for effective liquidity management. Mr Miller starts by stressing that AFMs are responsible for ensuring effective fund liquidity, even if investment management … Continue Reading

IOSCO statement on study of emerging global stablecoin proposals

Albert Weatherill (UK)By Albert Weatherill (UK) on Posted in Fintech, Fintech, Fintech, Fintech, France, Germany, Italy, Securities, Securities, Securities, Securities/Capital markets, The Netherlands, United Kingdom
On 4 November 2019, the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) released a statement on a study of stablecoin initiatives with a potential global reach (Global Stablecoins). IOSCO’s FinTech Network (the Network), which is chaired by the FCA and was established in May 2018 to facilitate exchanges among IOSCO members on their experiences relating to … Continue Reading
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