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  3. Point in time
    2019-02-13

IFPRU 3.1 Base own funds requirement

Application

IFPRU 3.1.1 R RP

This section applies to an IFPRU investment firm, unless it is an exempt IFPRU commodities firm.

IFPRU 3.1.2 R RP

This section applies to a firm in relation to the whole of its business, except where a particular provision provides for a narrower scope.

IFPRU 3.1.3 G RP

The adequacy of a firm'sown funds needs to be assessed in relation to all the activities of the firm and risks to which they give rise.

Purpose

IFPRU 3.1.4 G RP

This section implements EC standards for the base own funds requirement to be held by an IFPRU investment firm. In particular, it implements articles 28 and 29 of CRD.

IFPRU 3.1.5 G RP

Principle 4 requires a firm to maintain adequate financial resources. IFPRU 3 sets out provisions that deal specifically with the adequacy of that part of a firm's financial resources that consists of own funds in addition to Parts Two (Own Funds) and Three (Capital requirements) of the EUCRR.

Main requirement

IFPRU 3.1.6 R RP
  1. (1)

    Subject to (2), an IFPRU investment firm must maintain, at all times, common equity tier 1 capital equal to, or in excess of, the base own funds requirement.

  2. (2)

    For the purpose of (1), the common equity tier 1 capital of an IFPRU investment firm must comprise only of one or more of the items referred to in article 26(1)(a) to (e) of the EU CRR (Common equity tier 1 items).

[Note: article 28(1) of CRD]

IFPRU 3.1.7 R RP

At the time that it first becomes an IFPRU investment firm, a firm must hold initial capital of not less than the base own funds requirement applicable to that firm.

Calculation of the base own funds requirement

IFPRU 3.1.8 R RP

The amount of an IFPRU investment firm'sbase own funds requirement is set out in the table in IFPRU 3.1.9 R.

Table: Base own funds requirement

IFPRU 3.1.9 R RP

This table belongs to IFPRU 3.1.8 R.

Firm Category

Amount: Currency equivalent of

IFPRU 730K firm

€730,000

IFPRU 125K firm

€125,000

IFPRU 50K firm

€50,000

[Note: articles 28(2), 29(1) and 29(3) of CRD]

IFPRU 3.1.10 G RP

A collective portfolio management investment firm is required to maintain base own funds requirement of €125,000 (in line with IPRU(INV) 11.3.1R(1)).

IFPRU 3.2 Capital

Application

IFPRU 3.2.1 R RP

IFPRU 3 applies to an IFPRU investment firm, unless it is an exempt IFPRU commodities firm.

Purpose

IFPRU 3.2.2 G RP

This chapter:

  1. (1)

    contains the rules that exercise the discretion afforded to the FCA as competent authority under article 89 of the EUCRR;

  2. (2)

    contains the guidance in relation to articles 4(1)(126) and 28 of the EUCRR; and

  3. (3)

    contains the rules on notification to the FCA of intended issuance, or amendment to, own funds instruments and specified terms that meet the conditions for qualification as own funds.

Qualifying holding outside the financial sector

IFPRU 3.2.3 R RP

In respect of the qualifying holdings described in article 89(1) and (2) of the EUCRR, a firm must, in accordance with article 89(3) of the EUCRR, comply with the requirement in article 89(3)(a) of the EUCRR.

Indirect or synthetic holdings

IFPRU 3.2.4 G RP

For the purposes of article 4(1)(126) (Definition of synthetic holding) and Part Two (Own funds) of the EUCRR, the FCA considers the holdings described in IFPRU 3.2.5 G to be examples of indirect or synthetic holdings by an IFPRU investment firm of own common equity tier 1 instruments.

IFPRU 3.2.5 G RP

An indirect or synthetic holding includes a holding of a firm of shares, any other interest in the capital and subordinated debt, whether in the trading book or non-trading book, in:

  1. (1)

    an institution ; or

  2. (2)

    a financial institution;

that satisfies the following conditions:

  1. (3)

    the holding is the subject of an agreement or arrangement between the firm and either the issuer of the instrument in question or a member of the group to which the issuer belongs;

  2. (4)

    under the terms of the agreement or arrangement described in (3), the issuer invests in the firm or in a member of the group to which the firm belongs;

  3. (5)

    the effect of that agreement or arrangement on the capital position of the firm, the issuer or any member of a group to which either belongs, under any relevant rule is significantly more beneficial than in economic terms, taking into account the agreement or arrangement as a whole.

For this purpose, a relevant rule means a rule in GENPRU, BIPRU, INSPRU or IFPRU or any other capital adequacy or solvency requirements of the FCA or any other regulator, territory or country.

Connected transactions

IFPRU 3.2.6 R RP

In determining whether an item of capital qualifies as common equity tier 1 capital, additional tier 1 capital or tier 2 capital, a firm must take into account any connected transaction which, when taken together with the item of capital, would cause it not to display the characteristics of common equity tier 1 capital, additional tier 1 capital or tier 2 capital.

IFPRU 3.2.7 R RP

A firm must report to the FCA all connected transactions described in IFPRU 3.2.6 R at least one month in advance of entry into the relevant transaction and identify each relevant transaction with sufficient detail to allow the FCA to evaluate it.

Own funds instruments issued under third country law

IFPRU 3.2.8 R RP

[deleted]2

IFPRU 3.2.9 R RP

[deleted]2

Notification of issuance of own funds instruments

IFPRU 3.2.10 R RP

A firm must notify the FCA of the following:

  1. (1)

    its intention; or

  2. (2)

    the intention of another member of its group that is not a firm, but is included in the supervision on a consolidated basis of the firm;

to issue a capital instrument that it believes will qualify under the EUCRR as own funds other than a common equity tier 1 capital at least one month before the intended date of issue.

IFPRU 3.2.11 R RP

A firm does not have to give notice under IFPRU 3.2.10 R if the capital instrument is:

  1. (1)

    an ordinary share; or

  2. (2)

    a debt instrument issued under a debt securities programme under which the firm or group member has previously issued and the firm has notified the FCA, in accordance with IFPRU 3.2.10 R, prior to a previous issuance under the programme.

IFPRU 3.2.12 R RP

When giving notice, the firm must provide:

  1. (1)

    details of the amount and type of own funds the firm is seeking to raise through the intended issue and whether the capital instrument is intended to be issued to external investors or other members of its group;

  2. (2)

    a copy of the term sheet and details of any features of the capital instrument which are novel, unusual or different from a capital instrument of a similar nature previously issued by the firm or widely available in the market;

  3. (3)

    confirmation from a member of the firm'ssenior management responsible for authorising the intended issue or, in the case of an issue by another group member, for the issue's inclusion in the firm's consolidated own funds, that the capital instrument meets the conditions for qualification as an own funds item; and

  4. (4)

    a properly reasoned legal opinion from an appropriately qualified individual confirming that the capital instrument meets the conditions for qualification as the relevant type of own funds.

IFPRU 3.2.13 R RP

A firm must notify the FCA in writing, no later than the date of issue of its intention, or the intention of another member of its group that is not a firm included in the supervision on a consolidated basis of the firm, to issue a capital instrument described in IFPRU 3.2.11 R.

IFPRU 3.2.14 R RP

When giving notice under IFPRU 3.2.13 R, the firm must provide:

  1. (1)

    confirmation that the terms of the capital instrument have not changed since the previous issue by the firm of that type of capital instrument; and

  2. (2)

    the information in IFPRU 3.2.12 R (1) and-IFPRU 3.2.12 R (3).

IFPRU 3.2.15 R RP

The firm must promptly notify the FCA of any change to the intended date of issue, amount of issue, type of investors, type of own funds or any other feature of the capital instrument to that previously notified to the FCA under IFPRU 3.2.10 R or IFPRU 3.2.13 R.

Notification of amendments to own funds instruments

IFPRU 3.2.16 R RP

A firm must notify the FCA of its intention, or the intention of another member of its group that is not a firm included in the supervision on a consolidated basis of the firm, to amend or otherwise vary the terms of any own funds instrument included in its own funds or the own funds of its consolidated group at least one month before the intended date of such amendment or other variation.

Notification of reduction of own funds

IFPRU 3.2.17 R RP

A firm must notify the FCA of its intention, or the intention of another member of its group included in the supervision on a consolidated basis of the firm, to carry out any of the actions described in article 77 of the EUCRR (Conditions for reducing own funds) for an own funds instrument.

Common equity tier 1 capital: partnership capital account

IFPRU 3.2.18 G RP

A partner's account of a firm that is a partnership:

  1. (1)

    into which capital contributed by partners is paid; and

  2. (2)

    from which under the terms of the partnership agreement an amount representing capital may be withdrawn by a partner only if:

    1. (a)

      he ceases to be a partner and an equal amount is transferred to another such account by his former partners or any person replacing him as their partner; or

    2. (b)

      the partnership is wound up or otherwise dissolved; or

    3. (c)

      the firm has ceased to be authorised or no longer has a Part 4A permission;

    may be considered as meeting the purposes of article 28(1)(e) (perpetual) and (f) (reduction or repayment) of the EUCRR.

Common equity tier 1 capital: eligible LLP members' capital

IFPRU 3.2.19 G RP

A member's account of a firm that is a limited liability partnership:

  1. (1)

    into which capital contributed by the members is paid; and

  2. (2)

    from which, under the terms of the limited liability partnership agreement, an amount representing capital may be withdrawn by a partner only if:

    1. (a)

      he ceases to be a member and an equal amount is transferred to another such account by his former fellow members or any person replacing him as a member;

    2. (b)

      the limited liability partnership is wound up or otherwise dissolved; or

    3. (c)

      the firm has ceased to be authorised or no longer has a Part 4A permission;

    may be considered as meeting the purposes of article 28(1)(e) (perpetual) and (f) (reduction or repayment) of the EUCRR.

Variable capital calculation for collective portfolio management investment firms

IFPRU 3.2.20 G RP

When a collective portfolio management investment firm calculates the total risk exposure amount in article 92(3) of the EUCRR, the own funds requirements referred to in article 92(3)(a) (Risk-weighted1 exposure amount for credit risk and dilution risk) and article 92(3)(b) (Risk-weighted1 exposure amount for position risk) should include only those arising from its designated investment business. For this purpose, managing an AIF or managing a UCITS is excluded from designated investment business.

1 1

IFPRU 3.3 Basel 1 floor

Permission not to apply the Basel 1 floor

IFPRU 3.3.1 G RP

The FCA does not expect that it will waive the application of the Basel 1 floor as contemplated in article 500(2) of the EUCRR.