The AIFMD is one of the pillars of EU regulation for investment funds, crucial to the development of the Capital Markets Union and the EU’s post-pandemic economic recovery. Since 2010 the AIFMD has set high standards of harmonisation in the alternative investment fund management sector. It currently provides a consistent regulatory approach to potential risks of the financial system, better coordinated supervision, and a high level of investor protection.
EFAMA’s priority will be to ensure low touch review of the framework, and continue facilitating exchange of information amongst members to ensure the highest standards in the application of the measures.
The European investment management industry is helping savers achieve their financial goals and build up retirement savings. Investment management is a vital part of the European economy, providing funding for companies and infrastructure projects and contributing to economic growth and job creation across all Member States.
A holistic approach is recommended when establishing whether the use of leverage of AIFs poses leverage-related systemic risk and materially contributes to financial instability. Any regulatory policies on leverage need to be evidence-based and developed with empirical evidence showing the extent to which the use of leverage in AIFs contributes to the build-up of systemic risk. The Covid-19 pandemic is testament that no major dysfunction was reported in terms of use of leverage by AIFs.
New rules for the AIFMD and UCITS Directive were published on 26 March 2024 in the Official Journal of the European Union, making them law. These investment frameworks are European success stories and an integral part of the Capital Markets Union (CMU).
EFAMA has released today a new issue of its Market Insights (MI) series titled “The AIF market – an overview”.
Funds face unique challenges in performing intermediary oversight, and especially so because of MiFID II requirements, changing regulatory landscapes, and the absence of an industry agreed-upon standard between funds and their distribution channels. To help address these challenges, a dedicated working group developed a uniform due diligence questionnaire (DDQ) that will serve as the standard for investment funds (UCITS and AIFs) in performing onboarding and ongoing oversight of distribution channels.
In 2019, AMIC and EFAMA decided to update their 2016 report “Managing Fund Liquidity Risk in Europe” following important policy and regulatory developments at EU and international levels. The purpose of this updated report is to outline the practical liquidity risk management processes which fund management companies put in place when setting up a fund and implement throughout the life of the fund. Also, the report describes the existing European and international regulatory frameworks in the area of fund liquidity risk management.
