EFAMA welcomes the opportunity to respond to the EC’s targeted consultation on the functioning of the ESG rating market in the EU and on the consideration of ESG factors in credit ratings. Please note that our response covers, at the same time, ESG ratings and ESG data providers, as the demand for ESG “raw” data has been increasing at a steady pace. The use of ESG data has also rapidly shifted from a narrow set of investment products to being prolific across all investment products.
Sustainability-related disclosures (SFDR)
Regulation (EU) 2019/2088 on sustainability-related disclosures (SFDR) is a pillar of the EU sustainable finance agenda. SFDR aims to increase the transparency of financial market participants towards end-investors and contribute to the objective of fighting greenwashing. It lays down sustainability disclosure obligations on the environmental and social impact of an entity’s investment decisions, and requirements on how to present the characteristics of green investment products.
To ensure this new set of rules successfully delivers on its objectives, EFAMA contributes to developing the regulation, as well as assisting members’ implementation efforts. We voice any concerns around the timelines for applying rules, implementation challenges and interpretation issues. Additionally, we provide the industry’s informed views on current risk management frameworks and practices concerning the disclosure of information to end-investors.
EFAMA response to EC CfE ESG ratings and sustainability risks in credit ratings
The European Single Access Point: a powerful tool for investors to assess the ESG performance of companies
EFAMA sees the European Commission’s proposal for the creation of a European Single Access Point (ESAP) as a crucial step in addressing the limited availability and scattered nature of financial and sustainability-related entity information at EU level.
IOSCO´s consultation on ESG ratings and data products providers
Given the increasingly important role ESG ratings and data products providers play in investment processes, EFAMA welcomes the increased attention of regulators to this issue. In light of the growing regulatory scrutiny on the ESG characteristics of potential investments, improving the usability and reliability of the ESG ratings and data products is a key priority for the European asset management industry.
EC Consultation on EU Taxonomy Delegated Acts
Simplification Omnibus reduces regulatory burden while maintaining important sustainability ambitions like double materiality
Yesterday, the European Commission published its first regulatory simplification Omnibus, which aims to reduce the sustainability reporting burden on EU companies through amendments to the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and EU Taxonomy Regulation. We support this initiative as a positive and necessary step to increase the competitiveness of European companies and reduce regulatory burden, while still maintaining the ambitions of the EU Green Deal.
Positive developments include:
Financial sector calls for a coordinated approach by regulators when changing sustainable finance disclosures
Joint letter asks European Commission to delay technical changes by supervisors until broader review of SFDR is complete
EFAMA Market Insights | Issue# 3 | Sustainable Investment in the European Asset Management Industry
For this Market Insights, EFAMA collaborated with its member associations and strategy consultants at INDEFI to estimate the level and nature of ESG investment by European asset managers at the end of 2019, distinguishing between the ESG strategies applied at the firm level and those applied at the level of individual fund and discretionary mandate. The assets under management covered in the report include EUR 12.5 trillion of investment fund assets and EUR 11.4 trillion of mandate assets.*
3 questions to Thierry Bogaty on the EU Ecolabel for retail financial products
Q #1 Can the EU Ecolabel for retail financial products help channel individual investors’ savings into environmentally sustainable projects?
A well-designed EU Ecolabel has the potential to provide clear guidance on the financial products retail investors can invest in if they wish to support environmentally sustainable projects and activities - in line with the EU Taxonomy Regulation. The European Commission wants to create a trusted and verified label for retail investors, who would benefit from better comparability of financial products.
