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.
EFAMA welcomes the opportunity to respond to the European Commission’s Green Paper on retail financial services. Widening the opportunities for European citizens to save and invest will facilitate better outcomes both for savers and the wider European economy.
EFAMA fully shares the goals of a Single Market for retail financial services in the EU, i.e.:
1. Promoting an EU-wide market in retail financial services that can facilitate cross-border business and consumer choice.
Our corporate members are both subsidiaries of an EEA parent that is a credit institution as per Article 4(1)(1) of the CRR, or stand-alone investment firms as per Article 4(1)(2) of the CRR. Both types of entities risk becoming subject to the Maximum Ratio Rule as asset management companies licensed under either a UCITS or AIFM management company license, or licensed as investment firms under the MiFID regime to provide discretionary portfolio management services on a client-by-client basis.
EFAMA welcomes the European Commission’s review of the Alternative Investment Fund Management Directive (AIFMD), setting out targeted improvements to key provisions in the current framework. Such targeted improvements will make strides in advancing the Capital Markets Union. At the same time, they maintain the framework which has underpinned a decade of growth in the European Alternative Investment Fund (AIF) market and proven resilient even throughout recent market stresses.
EFAMA has released its 2021 industry Fact Book.
The 2021 Fact Book provides an in-depth analysis of trends in the European fund industry, an extensive overview of the regulatory developments across 29 European countries and a wealth of data.
EFAMA has today published its latest monthly Investment Fund Industry Fact Sheet, which provides data on UCITS, and AIFs sold in April 2021, at European level and by country of fund domiciliation.
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.
