In March 2023, the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (Autoriteit Financiële Markten, the AFM) published its latest issue of Market Watch, a periodical newsletter on current topics and developments in the capital markets. This issue of Market Watch focuses on algorithmic trading, a topic that the AFM has been particularly focussed on recently. The … Continue Reading
On 7 March 2023, the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (Autoriteit Financiële Markten) published a news item on the concept of multilateral systems. Recently, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) published an opinion on the trading venue perimeter, in which ESMA describes whether certain systems and facilities qualify as ‘multilateral’ and, as a … Continue Reading
On 1 March 2023, the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (Autoriteit Financiële Markten, the AFM) published the results of an exploratory investigation into IT incident management in the capital markets. The AFM carried out this study in relation to eight trading venue operators and proprietary traders based on a self-assessment and IT incident notifications … Continue Reading
On 12 January 2023, the Dutch Authority for Financial Markets (Autoriteit Financiële Markten, the AFM) published its supervisory agenda for 2023 (the AFM Agenda 2023) and its strategy for 2023-2026 (the AFM Strategy). The AFM Agenda 2023 describes the trends and risks in the financial sector and explains the AFM’s priorities and activities for 2023. … Continue Reading
On 29 December 2022, the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (Autoriteit Financiële Markten, the AFM) published a report titled ‘Capital Markets Information Security Monitor’ (the Report). According to the AFM, business processes of capital market institutions (e.g. trading venues, proprietary traders, and clearing & settlement institutions) are heavily and increasingly dependent on complex IT … Continue Reading
On 14 December 2022, the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (Autoriteit Financiële Markten, the AFM) published amendments to the Further Regulation on Conduct of Business Supervision of Financial Undertakings AFS (Nadere Regeling gedragstoezicht financiële ondernemingen Wft, the Further Regulation). The amendments concern the (1) Key Information Document (KID) for Packaged Retail and Insurance-based Investment … Continue Reading
As of 1 January 2023, the reporting obligation for third country alternative investment fund managers (AIFMs) and alternative investment funds (AIFs) will start to apply. Non-EU AIFMs and AIFs will be required to report to the Dutch Authority for Financial Markets (Autoriteit Financiële Markten, the AFM) on their funds and management activities. This reporting obligation … Continue Reading
On 10 November 2022, the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (Autoriteit Financiële Markten, the AFM) published the results of an investigation it conducted on the status of compliance of financial undertakings with the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2019/2088, SFDR) and the related Taxonomy Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2020/852). The report covers its findings into … Continue Reading
On 11 October 2022, the Dutch Central Bank (De Nederlandsche Bank, DNB) published a news item in which it reminds investment firms and UCITS managers about their obligations in relation to the declaration no objection (verklaring van geen bezwaar, DNO) that holders of a qualifying holding in these regulated entities are required to obtain. It … Continue Reading
On 5 October 2022, the final compromise text of the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) was published. In this context, the Dutch Central Bank (De Nederlandsche Bank, DNB) published a news item stating that DNB welcomes this new regulation of the European crypto markets. According to DNB, uniform rules for crypto markets are important for … Continue Reading
On 6 October 2022, the Dutch Central Bank (De Nederlandsche Bank, DNB) published a news item in which the regulator comments on transactions taking place between crypto service providers registered in the Netherlands and crypto service providers based outside of the EU which are not registered (non-EU crypto service providers). DNB indicates that when a … Continue Reading
On 8 September 2022, the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (Autoriteit Financiële Markten, the AFM) announced that this fall, it will investigate the status of investment fund managers’ compliance with the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2019/2088, SFDR) and the related Taxonomy Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2020/852). In 2021, the AFM published a report on … Continue Reading
On 29 August 2022, the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (Autoriteit Financiële Markten, the AFM) published for consultation a supplement to the Guideline for investment advice and asset management service providers (Leidraad advies- en vermogensbeheerdienstverlening, the Guideline). The results of research conducted by the AFM, which were published earlier this year, show that there … Continue Reading
The Dutch Central Bank (De Nederlandsche Bank, DNB) has launched a public consultation on a Q&A regarding retention bonuses (retentievergoedingen) within the meaning of Article 1:122 of the Act on the Financial Supervision (Wet op het financieel toezicht, the AFS). In this Q&A DNB provides guidance on when DNB’s prior consent is required for a … Continue Reading
The Dutch Central Bank (De Nederlandsche Bank, DNB) has announced that it will be starting an investigation into the effectiveness of the sanctions screening tools of banks and payment institutions. Given the global developments around sanctions, and in addition to DNB’s on-going investigation into compliance with Dutch sanctions legislation (primarily focusing on the administrative organisation … Continue Reading
On 15 July 2022, the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (Autoriteit Financiële Markten, AFM) and the Dutch Central Bank (De Nederlandsche Bank, DNB) published for public consultation a draft Decree amending the Suitability Policy Rule 2012 (Besluit tot wijziging van de Beleidsregel Geschiktheid 2012, the Amendment Decree). The Suitability Policy Rule 2012 (Beleidsregel Geschiktheid 2012) clarifies what the AFM … Continue Reading
On 5 July 2022, the Dutch Central Bank (De Nederlandsche Bank, DNB) and the Dutch Authority for Financial Markets (Autoriteit Financiële Markten, the AFM) jointly published a news article on the obligation for certain investment firms to establish a risk committee and a remuneration committee. Risk committee The Investment Firms Directive (Directive (EU) 2019/2034, IFD) … Continue Reading
On 24 June 2022, the Dutch Central Bank (De Nederlandsche Bank, DNB) published the Amendment Regulation specific provisions CRD and CRR 2019 (Wijzigingsregeling Regeling specifieke bepalingen CRD en CRR 2019, the Amendment Regulation) for public consultation. The Fourth Capital Requirements Directive (CRD4) and the Capital Requirements Regulation (CRR) have recently been amended. These amendments, also … Continue Reading
On 14 April 2022, the Dutch Central Bank (De Nederlandsche Bank, DNB) published its annual legislative letter (wetgevingsbrief) for 2022. DNB annually submits this letter to the Dutch Minister of Finance (the Minister). The letter describes European and national developments relevant to the supervision on the financial sector and the legislative changes desired by DNB to … Continue Reading
On 14 April 2022, the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (Autoriteit Financiële Markten, the AFM) published its legislative letter (wetgevingsbrief) for 2022. The AFM annually submits this letter to the Dutch Minister of Finance (the Minister). The letter describes European and national developments relevant to the supervision on the financial sector and set outs the … Continue Reading
Each year the Dutch Central Bank (De Nederlandsche Bank, DNB) investigates the inherent integrity risks of money laundering, financing of terrorism and corruption faced by financial institutions, as well as the measures taken by financial institutions to mitigate such risks. For this purpose, DNB has been requesting financial institutions to complete its questionnaire on integrity … Continue Reading
On 12 April 2022, the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (Autoriteit Financiële Markten, the AFM) published the results of its investigation into advertisements (reclame-uitingen) of investment firms. For its investigation, the AFM reviewed advertisements of four investment firms in the fall of 2021. Each advertisement needs to independently comply with the applicable requirements. A … Continue Reading
On 6 April 2022, the Dutch Central Bank (De Nederlandsche Bank, DNB) published a news item about the result of its assessment on the identification, measurement and management of climate-related and environmental risk at small and medium-sized Dutch banks. In November 2020, the European Central Bank (ECB) published the Guide on climate-related and environment risks … Continue Reading
On 6 April 2022, the Dutch Central Bank (De Nederlandsche Bank, DNB) published two news items about the management of outsourcing risks by insurers and pension funds. In 2020 and 2021, DNB reviewed the way in which insurers and pension funds manage outsourcing risks. DNB concludes that service providers to whom insurers and pension funds … Continue Reading