AUTH 1.8 What other general guidance is available from the FSA?

It will not always be clear to a person whether or not its prospective business activities will be such that it requires authorisation. The FSA has established an Authorisation Enquiries team to help in such cases.

The Authorisation Enquiries team gives assistance by:

1. (1)

   producing guidance for persons who wish to find out whether they need to be authorised (see AUTH 2);

2. (2)

   publishing guidance about areas where persons may have difficulty deciding whether or not authorisation or exemption is needed (this is included in AUTH App X [to be added at later date]); and

3. (3)

   responding to oral and written enquiries from applicants, prospective applicants, EEA firms, Treaty firms or prospective UCITS qualifiers (or their professional advisers) about their particular position under the Act.

The Authorisation Enquiries team also handles enquiries about financial promotions. Under the Act, the communication of a financial promotion by an unauthorised person is prohibited, unless its contents have been approved by an authorised person, or an exemption applies.

As well as being included as an appendix to AUTH, copies of all current guidance issued by Authorisation Enquiries are available separately from the FSA website at www.fsa.gov.uk or through the FSA's Publications Enquiries department on 020 7066 3298. The Authorisation Enquiries team will be pleased to clarify or discuss any aspects of the guidance in more detail. Enquiries about the scope of the Act may be made to the Authorisation Enquiries helpline by telephone on 020 7066 0082 or by e-mail to authorisationenquiries@fsa.gov.uk.1

The FSA will review its guidance from time to time and may need to amend or withdraw published or written guidance in the light of changing circumstances, developing business practices, or case law. For the status of guidance issued by the FSA, see Chapter 6 of 3the Reader's Guide.