On 20 January 2022, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) announced that it was launching a Common Supervisory Action (CSA) with Member State competent authorities on the valuation of UCITS and open-ended Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs) across the EU. Throughout 2022 the CSA will focus on authorised managers of UCITS and open-ended AIFs investing … Continue Reading
On 25 November 2021, the European Commission published a proposal for a Regulation amending the Regulation on European long-term investment funds (ELTIFs). The changes relate to the scope of eligible assets and investments, the portfolio composition and diversification requirements, the borrowing of cash and other fund rules and as regards requirements pertaining to the authorisation, … Continue Reading
On 25 November 2021, the European Commission published a proposal for a Directive that would amend the Alternative Investment Funds Managers Directive (AIFMD) and UCITS Directive as regards delegation arrangements, liquidity risk management, supervisory reporting, provision of depositary and custody services and loan origination by alternative investment funds. Pages 11 to 16 of the proposal … Continue Reading
On 4 November 2021, the Investment Association published version 3.0 of its model discretional investment management agreement, in co-operation with Norton Rose Fulbright. The model agreement is a template agreement relating to the appointment of a discretionary investment manager by a client that has been categorised by the manager as a professional client. The model … Continue Reading
On 18 October 2021, the European Parliament published the following reports: Draft Report on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2009/65/EC as regards the use of key information documents by management companies of undertakings for collective investment in transferable securities (UCITS) (PE697.633v01-00) (dated 14 October 2021). … Continue Reading
On 11 October 2021, the Financial Stability Board (FSB) published a report which forms a key part of its work programme on non-bank financial intermediation. The policy proposals in the report aim to address systematic risk and minimise the need for future extraordinary central bank interventions to support the sector alongside enhancing money market fund … Continue Reading
On 5 August 2021, the European Commission issued for consultation a draft Directive amending the UCITS Directive as regards the use of key information documents by management companies of undertakings for collective investment in transferable securities. The draft Directive inserts a new Article 82a in the UCITS Directive. The Article provides that where a key … Continue Reading
On 2 August 2021, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) published the official translations of its guidelines for funds’ marketing communications under Article 4 of the Regulation on the cross-border distribution of collective investment undertakings. The guidelines will apply from six months after the date of the publication of the translations.… Continue Reading
On 16 July 2021, the European Commission adopted a Directive that amends the UCITS IV Directive as regards the use of key information documents by management companies of undertakings for collective investment in transferable securities (UCITS). Article 32 of Regulation No 1286/2014 on key information documents for packaged retail and insurance-based investment products provides for … Continue Reading
On 1 July 2021, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) published its first report on national rules governing the marketing of investment funds under the Regulation on cross-border distribution of funds. Specifically, the report presents an overview of marketing requirements referred to in Article 5(1) of the Regulation in all Member States and contains … Continue Reading
On 30 June 2021, the Financial Stability Board issued a consultation report setting out policy proposals to enhance money market fund (MMF) resilience, including with respect to the appropriate structure of the sector and of underlying short-term funding markets. The report considers the likely effects of a broad range of policy options to address MMF … Continue Reading
On 29 June 2021, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) published guidelines that apply in relation to Article 28 of the Money Market Funds Regulation and establish common reference parameters for the stress test scenarios to be included in the stress tests conducted by money market funds (MMFs) or managers of MMFs in accordance … Continue Reading
On 23 June 2021, the European Securities and Markets Authority’s guidelines on Article 25 of the Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive were translated into the official EU languages. The guidelines apply from 23 August 2021.… Continue Reading
On 15 June 2021, the European Commission adopted a Delegated Regulation amending Delegated Regulation 2018/990 with regard to requirements for assets received by money market funds as part of reverse repurchase agreements. The Regulation on Money Markets Funds (MMF Regulation) lays down rules on authorisation of money market funds that cover, among other things, eligible … Continue Reading
On 15 June 2021, there was published in the Official Journal of the EU Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/955 of 27 May 2021 setting out implementing technical standards (ITS) in accordance with Articles 5(3), 10(3) and 13(3) of the Regulation on cross-border distribution of investment funds. The ITS in the Commission Implementing Regulation concern the … Continue Reading
On 28 May 2021, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) updated its opinion on the collection of information for the effective monitoring of systemic risk under Article 24(5), first sub-paragraph, of the Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive (AIFMD). In the updated opinion ESMA provides additional information that Member State competent authorities could require alternative … Continue Reading
On 27 May 2021, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) published a final report containing guidelines that specify the application of the requirements for marketing communications set out in Article 4(1) of the Regulation on the cross-border distribution of funds. In particular the guidelines establish common principles on the identification as such of marketing … Continue Reading
On 8 April 2021, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) issued its third annual statistical report on the alternative investment fund (AIF) sector. The report has found that the sector increased by 15% in 2019 to EUR 6.8trn in net assets from EUR 5.9trn in 2018. The main findings in the report include: The … Continue Reading
On 30 March 2021, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) updated its Q&As on the application of the Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive (AIFMD). ESMA has added two new Q&As on ESMA’s guidelines on performance fees in UCITS and certain types of alternative investment funds. The new Q&As provide clarification on the crystallisation of … Continue Reading
On 30 March 2021, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) updated its Q&As on the application of the UCITS Directive. ESMA has added two new Q&As on ESMA’s guidelines on performance fees in UCITS and certain types of alternative investment funds. The Q&As provide clarification on the crystallisation of the performance fees and on … Continue Reading
On 26 March 2021, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) issued a consultation paper on potential reforms of the EU Money Market Funds Regulation (MMFR). The consultation paper: Presents an overview of the EU MMF market. Describes certain key features of the issues faced by MMFs during the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. Presents … Continue Reading
On 24 March 2021, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) issued the results of its 2020 common supervisory action (CSA) on UCITS liquidity risk management. The CSA shows that the overall level of compliance with the applicable rules is satisfactory in most cases, but there is scope for improvement for some of the UCITS … Continue Reading
On 3 February 2021, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) published a letter it had sent to the European Commission concerning the review of the European Long Term Investment Funds (ELTIF) Regulation. In the letter ESMA highlights some areas of the ELTIF Regulation where improvements could be made. ESMA has issued the letter in … Continue Reading