On 2 September 2019, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) published a final report on guidelines on liquidity stress testing in UCITS and AIFs (the Guidelines). In April 2018, the European Systemic Risk Board (ESRB) published a set of recommendations to address liquidity and leverage risk in investment funds. One of the ESRB’s recommendations … Continue Reading
On 2 September 2019, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) published its final guidance regarding liquidity stress testing of investment funds – applicable to Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs) and Undertakings for the Collective Investments in Transferable Securities (UCITS). The report follows an earlier consultation in February 2019 (see previous blog post here) on draft … Continue Reading
On 16 August 2019, the Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets (Autoriteit Financiële Markten, the AFM) published a news item indicating that in the last week of August, alternative investment funds and their managers will be receiving a questionnaire in relation to anti-money laundering and sanctions risks. This questionnaire is circulated annually and the AFM … Continue Reading
On 18 July 2019, the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) published a statement that explains why its 2018 Liquidity Risk Management Recommendations (2018 LRM Recommendations) provide a comprehensive framework for regulators to deal with liquidity risks in investment funds. The statement follows recent media coverage of liquidity problems that have recently affected some investment … Continue Reading
On 16 July 2019, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) issued a public consultation on draft guidelines on performance fees under the Undertakings for Collective Investment in Transferable Securities (UCITS) Directive. The draft guidelines aim to improve harmonisation in the way in which performance fees can be charged to UCITS. This follows a mapping … Continue Reading
The latest issue of Global Asset Management Quarterly is now available here. In this issue we cover: Sustainable finance is a trend set to stay Brexit: latest developments Luxemburg update Ireland update The proposed Australian corporate collective investment vehicle SFC raises disclosure requirements for Green or ESG funds Mutual recognition of funds: Netherland – Hong … Continue Reading
On 4 June 2019, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) published an updated version of its Q&As on the Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive (AIFMD). Five new Q&As have been inserted under Section VI regarding depositories, namely asking: Under recital 42 of AIFMD, what are ‘supporting tasks that are linked to depositary tasks such … Continue Reading
On 4 June 2019, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) published an updated version of its Q&As on the Undertakings for Collective Investment in Transferable Securities (UCITS) Directive. Five new Q&As have been inserted, regarding: the distinction between depositary tasks and mere supporting tasks; depositary tasks entrusted to third parties; performance of depositary functions … Continue Reading
On 15 May 2019, the Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets (Autoriteit Financiële Markten, the AFM) and the Securities and Futures Commission of Hong Kong (the SFC) entered into a Memorandum of Understanding on Mutual Recognition of Funds (the MoU). The MoU will allow eligible Dutch Undertakings for Collective Investment in Transferable Securities (UCITS) and … Continue Reading
On 4 April 2019, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) issued its first annual report on sanctions imposed by Member State competent authorities (NCAs) under the UCITS Directive. The report provides an aggregated overview of the penalties and measures issued under the UCITS Directive for 2016/2017, based on data submitted to ESMA by NCAs.… Continue Reading
On 29 March 2019, the European Securities and Markets Authority updated its Q&As on: the UCITS Directive. Specifically, the Q&As clarify the UCITS KIID benchmark and past performance obligations; the Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive. New Q&As have been added on the calculation of leverage; and the Market Abuse Regulation. New Q&As have been added … Continue Reading
On 28 March 2019, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) published a consultation paper on draft regulatory technical standards (RTS) under Article 25 of the European Long-Term Investment Funds Regulation (ELTIF Regulation). Article 25(3) of the ELTIF Regulation provides for ESMA to develop draft RTS to determine the costs disclosure requirements applicable to ELTIF managers. … Continue Reading
The latest issue of Global Asset Management Quarterly is now available here. In this issue we cover: UK and European overview Brexit: Financial Services Contracts Regime Brexit: EU Level 3 measures London financial services team client briefing: buy-side focus FCA Asset Management Market Study: FCA tightens the rules further VAT: Apportionment of a single supply … Continue Reading
On 5 February 2019, the Council of the EU announced that political agreement on simpler and quicker cross-border distribution of investment funds had been reached between the Council of the EU and the European Parliament. The proposal, which consists of a draft Regulation and draft Directive, is designed to improve transparency and harmonises diverging national … Continue Reading
On 5 February 2019, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) issued a consultation paper on draft guidelines regarding liquidity stress tests of investment funds – applicable to alternative investment funds and Undertakings for the Collective Investment in Transferable Securities (UCITS). The consultation has been produced in response to a recommendation by the European Systemic … Continue Reading
On 1 February 2019, the European Commission adopted a Delegated Regulation supplementing the Regulation on European social entrepreneurship funds (the EuSEF Regulation). The Delegated Regulation: provides for a list of types of conflicts of interest in the context of qualifying social entrepreneurship funds. It covers situations that involve a manager of the qualifying social entrepreneurship … Continue Reading
On 22 January 2019, the European Parliament’s Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) published an erratum to the report on the proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on facilitating cross-border distribution of collective investment funds and amending Regulations (EU) No 345/2013 and (EU) No 346/2013. The erratum amends … Continue Reading
On 10 January 2019, the European Commission released a report on the operation of the Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive (AIFMD). The report confirms that current rules in the AIFMD have significantly contributed to creating a single market for alternative investment funds by establishing a harmonised regulatory and supervisory framework. Most of the AIFMD provisions … Continue Reading
On 5 November 2018, the European Parliament published a press release announcing that its Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee (ECON) had voted on provisions for the proposed Regulation and Directive of cross-border distribution of collective investment funds. The new provisions concern cross border distribution of the EU-regulated alternative investment funds (AIFs) and undertakings for collective … Continue Reading
We have just updated two guides on the AIFMD, which has now been in force for approximately five years. Both guides, which are now in their fourth iteration, cover 15 EU jurisdictions – Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the UK – with input provided by … Continue Reading
On 15 November 2018, the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) published a consultation paper on the use of leverage by investment funds (the Consultation). The Consultation responds to recommendation 10 of the Financial Stability Board’s (FSB) report ‘‘Policy Recommendations to Address Structural Vulnerabilities from Asset Management Activities” in which the IOSCO was requested to: … Continue Reading
On 13 November 2018, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) published a consultation paper on draft guidelines on the reporting to Member State competent authorities (NCAs) under Article 37 of the Money Market Funds (MMF) Regulation. Article 37 of the MMF Regulation obliges the manager of the MMF, for each MMF managed, to report … Continue Reading
On 31 October 2018, there was published a letter from the President of the European Commission (the Letter) to the Chair of the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) on the implementation of the Money Market Funds (MMF) Regulation. The letter responds to ESMA’s Letter on the same topic of 20 July 2018 (see our … Continue Reading
On 30 October 2018, there was published in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJ) Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2018/1619 of 12 July 2018 amending Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/438 as regards safe-keeping duties of depositaries. Delegated Regulation 2016/438 amends the UCITS IV Directive, further specifying depositaries’ duties with regard to safe-keeping UCITS clients’ assets. The Delegated … Continue Reading
