CASS 6.3 Depositing assets and arranging for assets to be deposited with third parties2

1. (1)

   1A firm may deposit safe custody assets2 held by it on behalf of its clients into an account or accounts opened with a third party, but only if it exercises all due skill, care and diligence in the selection, appointment and periodic review of the third party and of the arrangements for the holding and safekeeping of those safe custody assets.2

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2. (1A)

   A firm which arranges the registration of a safe custody investment through a third party must exercise all due skill, care and diligence in the selection and appointment of the third party.2

3. (2)

   A firm must take the necessary steps to ensure that any client'ssafe custody assets2 deposited with a third party, in accordance with this rule are identifiable separately from the applicable assets2 belonging to the firm and from the applicable assets2 belonging to that third party, by means of differently titled accounts on the books of the third party or other equivalent measures that achieve the same level of protection.

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4. (3)

   When a firm makes the selection, appointment and conducts the periodic review referred to 2under this rule, it must take into account:

   1. (a)

      the expertise and market reputation of the third party; and

   2. (b)

      any legal requirements or market practices related to the holding of those safe custody assets2 that could adversely affect clients' rights.

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5. (4)

   A firm must make a record of the grounds upon which it satisfies itself as to the appropriateness of its selection of a third party as required in this rule. The firm must make the record on the date it makes the selection and must keep it from the date of such selection until five years after the firm ceases to use the third party to hold safe custody assets2 belonging to clients.

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[Note: articles 16(1)(d) and 17(1) of the MiFID implementing Directive]

1. (1)

   A firm must only deposit safe custody assets2 with a third party in a jurisdiction which specifically regulates and supervises the safekeeping of safe custody assets2 for the account of another person with a third party who is subject to such regulation.

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2. (2)

   A firm must not deposit safe custody assets2 held on behalf of a client with a third party in a country that is not an EEA State (third country) and which does not regulate the holding and safekeeping of safe custody assets2 for the account of another person unless:

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   1. (a)

      the nature of the safe custody assets2 or of the investment services connected with those safe custody assets2 requires them to be deposited with a third party in that third country; or

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   2. (b)

      the safe custody assets2 are held on behalf of a professional client and the client requests the firm in writing to deposit them with a third party in that third country.

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3. (3)

   [deleted]2

   2
   1. (a)

      [deleted]2

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   2. (b)

      [deleted]2

      2
      1. (i)

         [deleted]2

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      2. (ii)

         [deleted]2

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      3. (iii)

         [deleted]2

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[Note: article 17(2) and (3) of the MiFID implementing Directive]

Subject to CASS 6.3.6 R, in relation to a third party with which a firm deposits safe custody assets belonging to a client, a firm must ensure that the agreement with that third party relating to the custody of those assets does not include the grant to that third party, or to any other person, of a lien or a right of retention or sale over the safe custody assets, or a right of set-off over any client money derived from those safe custody assets.3

A firm may conclude an agreement with a third party relating to the custody of safe custody assets which does confer on that third party, or on another person, a lien, right of retention or sale, or right of set-off in favour of that third party or that other person if and only if that lien or right:

1. (1)

   is confined to an individual client'ssafe custody assets or client money and extends only to that third party's (or a sub-custodian's, where a sub-custodian is appointed by that third party) properly incurred charges and liabilities arising from the provision of custody services to that client; or

2. (2)

   arises under the operating terms of a securities depository, securities settlement system or central counterparty in whose books or accounts a client'sclient money or safe custody assets is or are recorded or held, and provided that it does so for the purpose only of facilitating the settlement of that client's trades; or

3. (3)

   arises in relation to a client'ssafe custody assets or client money held in a jurisdiction outside the United Kingdom provided that:

   1. (a)

      it does so as a result of local applicable law or as a necessary precondition for participation in a local market; and

   2. (b)

      the firm has taken reasonable steps to determine that holding those assets or that money subject to such a lien or right is in the best interests of that client.3