UCITS
UCITS (Undertakings for Collective Investment in Transferable Securities) refers to the EU framework for harmonising the creation, management and marketing of collective investment schemes in the EU (and EEA) Member States. It places a strong focus on investors’ protection and product regulation. Owing to this harmonised framework, once UCITS funds are registered in one Member State, they can be freely marketed across the European Union. Initially adopted in 1985, the UCITS Directive has since been modified repeatedly, to take into account developments in financial markets.
EFAMA is adamant to protect the competitiveness and international appeal of UCITS.
Coalition letter on keeping European markets open
EFAMA's Response to ESMA's consultation on Guidelines on Performance Fees in UCITS
Policy Recommendations for the Next European Commission
Industry sector matters when comparing the performance of active vs. passive equity UCITS
EFAMA has published today the latest edition of its Market Insights series, titled “The sectoral performance of active and passive UCITS - is a simple measure enough?”. This publication compares the net performance of different categories of equity UCITS funds over the last ten years (2014-2023).
Fund manager discretion is key for the best use of liquidity management tools
EFAMA responded to ESMA’s consultations on regulatory technical standards and guidelines, which aim to provide EU asset managers with further details on a broad and harmonised list of liquidity management tools (LMTs). As part of the recent AIFMD and UCITS review, these improvements will support our industry’s response to liquidity pressures, both in normal and stressed market conditions, while also protecting the interests of investors.
Significant growth of sustainable equity funds over the last 5 years
Regulatory clarity required to sustain further growth
Market Insights #18 - Sustainable Equity UCITS
This report looks specifically at the evolving trends of the equity asset class of sustainable UCITS, whose share is the highest (53%) in total sustainable UCITS funds. It highlights their role as investment vehicles in facilitating the green transition. The universe of sustainable equity UCITS funds is defined based on Morningstar’s classification of sustainable financial instruments1. This means funds must claim to have a sustainability objective, and/or use binding ESG criteria for their investment selection.
New rules for the AIFMD and UCITS Directive
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).
The costs of UCITS and US mutual funds | Market Insights | Issue #8
It is often argued that European citizens are not able to fully benefit from the single market for investment funds, on the basis that the cost of UCITS is higher than the cost of mutual funds in the United States (US). In this Market Insights, we analyse this question by carrying out a detailed comparison of the cost of UCITS and US mutual funds, taking into account the various ways of calculating costs as well as the differences between Europe and the US in the way investment funds are distributed.