Further to our earlier blog post, the ban on the provision of cross-border services by third country insurers in the Netherlands (the Ban) took effect on 17 March 2021. This means that from this date onwards third country insurers are prohibited from providing their services in relation to both life and non-life insurance products in … Continue Reading
The European Commission has published a summary report on its consultation on the review of the Solvency II Directive (2009/138/EC). The summary report sets out the feedback received during the consultation which was run between July and October 2020. The Commission does not include the Commission’s responses to feedback. The Commission will consider the feedback … Continue Reading
On 28 January 2021, the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) launched a consultation on what is known as ‘open insurance’, namely the access to, and sharing of, insurance-related data. EIOPA has also published a discussion paper in which it considers whether and the extent to which insurance value chains can be opened up … Continue Reading
The European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) has published a sensitivity analysis of climate-related transition risks in the investment portfolios of European insurers. The report considers the current holdings by European insurers of corporate bonds and equity that relate to key climate-policy related sectors such as fossil fuel extraction (i.e. coal mining), carbon‐intensive industries, … Continue Reading
The European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) has published its first annual report on administrative sanctions and other measures imposed under the Insurance Distribution Directive ((EU) 2016/97 (IDD)) by national competent authorities. Between the implementation in October 2018 and the end of 2019 1,923 administrative sanctions or other measures were imposed on firms. The … Continue Reading
The European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) has published a discussion paper on non-life underwriting and pricing in light of climate change. The discussion paper is a follow-up to the EIOPA opinion on sustainability within Solvency II (published in September 2019) in which EIOPA noted that it was common for non-life business not to … Continue Reading
The Dutch Central Bank (De Nederlandsche Bank, DNB) has indicated in a recent news item on its website that the quality of outsourcing notifications could be improved. DNB notes that the Solvency II Directive requires insurers to notify DNB, in a timely manner, the (sub)outsourcing of activities to a third party. Where it concerns the … Continue Reading
According to the Dutch Central Bank (De Nederlandsche Bank, DNB) in a recent news item, financial institutions increasingly have to take into account risks associated with climate change and the transition to a sustainable/climate-neutral economy. In light of this, and as previously announced by DNB in its CSR strategy 2020 and Supervision Outlook 2020, DNB … Continue Reading
On 27 October 2020, the Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets (Autoriteit Financiële Markten, the AFM) published guidelines on the insurance product information document (IPID) which is required under the Insurance Distribution Directive. The guidelines contain the AFM’s most important findings and points for attention following an assessment of various IPIDs of household, liability and … Continue Reading
On 27 October 2020, the Dutch Central Bank (De Nederlandsche Bank, DNB) published a news item aimed at insurers regarding Brexit. In its news item DNB calls on insurers to liaise with UK investment firms and take appropriate action to prevent bottlenecks in the service provision by UK investment firms to insurers as of 1 … Continue Reading
On 12 October 2020, a legislative proposal was submitted to the Dutch Parliament in connection with the introduction of a ban on the provision of cross-border services by third country insurers. Traditionally, the Netherlands has allowed life and non-life insurers with their registered office in a third country to provide their services in the Netherlands. … Continue Reading
The European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) has published guidance on information and communication technology security governance. The Solvency II Directive (2009/138/EC) requires that insurers and reinsurers have in place effective systems of governance. This includes systems in respect of IT security. EIOPA has developed its guidance on information and communication technology (ICT) security … Continue Reading
The European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) has published ‘EIOPA’s approach to the supervision of product oversight and governance’. The Insurance Distribution Directive ((EU) 2016/97) (IDD) contains requirements on product oversight and governance for insurance distributors. These requirements aim to ensure that customers’ interests are taken into account throughout the product lifecycle. The latest … Continue Reading
The European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) has published for consultation a draft Opinion on the supervision of the use of climate-change risk scenarios in the ORSA. The ORSA is an internal risk management assessment of all the various risks that might impact an insurer’s balance sheet and is a requirement under Solvency II. … Continue Reading
The European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) has launched a consultation on a draft supervisory statement that seeks to promote supervisory convergence in relation to the assessment and use of risk-mitigation technique in insurance. EIOPA has concerns that divergent practices or supervisory arbitrage in this area could create an un-level playing field. The supervisory … Continue Reading
The European Commission has published a paper setting out examples of best-practices relating to relief measures offered to the customers of financial services businesses in the COVID-19 crisis. The best-practice paper includes examples relevant to insurance. The paper is the outcome of two roundtables including a number of participants from across the financial services industries, … Continue Reading
On 13 July 2020, the European Commission published a notice to stakeholders on the effects of the end of the transition period after which the UK’s relationship with the EU will fundamentally change. The notice is aimed at EU (re)insurance companies and insurance distributors. The Commission advises firms to assess the consequences of the end … Continue Reading
On 6 July 2020, the Dutch Central Bank (De Nederlandsche Bank, DNB) announced that it will review dividend proposals from insurers under its supervision as usual. In the beginning of April 2020 there was a call to temporarily suspend the distribution of dividends and the buying back of own shares until there would be more … Continue Reading
The Dutch Central Bank (De Nederlandsche Bank, DNB) recently submitted its legislative letter (wetgevingsbrief) for 2020 to the Dutch Minister of Finance (the Minister). This letter is submitted to the Minister annually and sets out the relevant European and national developments relevant to the financial sector and the legislative changes desired by DNB to address bottlenecks in Dutch laws … Continue Reading
The Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets (Autoriteit Financiële Markten, the AFM) recently submitted its legislative letter (wetgevingsbrief) for 2020 to the Dutch Minister of Finance (the Minister). This letter is submitted to the Minister annually and sets out the relevant European and national developments relevant to the financial sector and the legislative changes desired … Continue Reading
On 2 April 2020, the Dutch Central Bank (De Nederlandsche Bank, DNB) published a news item in which they endorse the statement issued by the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) calling on insurers to suspend their dividend payments and share buybacks until more is known about the impact of COVID-19. DNB fully endorses … Continue Reading
On 2 April 2020, the Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets (Autoriteit Financiële Markten, the AFM) published a news item emphasising the statement issued by the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) to insurers and intermediaries, urging them to take steps to mitigate the impact of Coronavirus/COVID-19 on consumers. Insurers and intermediaries are asked … Continue Reading
On 25 March 2020, the Dutch Central Bank (De Nederlandsche Bank, DNB) published a news item on postponing the reporting periods for insurers due to the COVID-19 outbreak. DNB follows the recommendations published on 20 March 2020 by the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) on supervisory flexibility regarding the deadline of supervisory reporting … Continue Reading
On 19 November 2019, Mr Frank Elderson, chair of the Network for Greening the Financial System (NGFS) and executive director of the Dutch Central Bank (De Nederlandsche Bank, DNB), gave a keynote speech during the 9th annual conference of the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA). In his keynote speech, Frank Elderson among other … Continue Reading
