Related provisions for REC 6A.2.3
Section 87B(1) of the Act sets out when the FSA may authorise the omission of information from a prospectus:
(1) |
The [FSA] may authorise the omission from a prospectus of any information, the inclusion of which would otherwise be required, on the ground – |
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(a) |
that its disclosure would be contrary to the public interest; |
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(b) |
that its disclosure would be seriously detrimental to the issuer, provided that the omission would be unlikely to mislead the public with regard to any facts or circumstances which are essential for an informed assessment of the kind mentioned in section 87A(2); or |
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(c) |
that the information is only of minor importance for a specific offer to the public or admission to trading on a regulated market and unlikely to influence an informed assessment of the kind mentioned in section 87A(2). |
Section 87G of the Act provides that:
(1) |
Subsection (2) applies if, during the relevant period, there arises or is noted a significant new factor, material mistake or inaccuracy relating to the information included in a prospectus approved by the [ FSA]. |
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(2) |
The person on whose application the prospectus was approved must, in accordance with prospectus rules, submit a supplementary prospectus containing details of the new factor, mistake or inaccuracy to the [FSA] for its approval. |
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(3) |
The relevant period begins when the prospectus is approved by the [FSA] and ends – |
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(a) |
with the closure of the offer of the transferable securities to which the prospectus relates; or |
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(b) |
when trading in those securities on a regulated market begins. |
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4(3A) |
But where the prospectus relates both to an offer of transferable securities to the public and the admission of those securities to trading on a regulated market, subsection (3) does not apply and the relevant period beings when the prospectus is approved and ends with the later of - |
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(a) |
the closure of the offer to the public to which the prospectus relates; or |
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(b) |
the time when trading in those securities on a regulated market begins. |
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(4) |
"Significant" means significant for the purposes of making an informed assessment of the kind mentioned in section 87A(2). |
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(5) |
Any person responsible for the prospectus who is aware of any new factor, mistake or inaccuracy which may require the submission of a supplementary prospectus in accordance with subsection (2) must give notice of it to – |
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(a) |
the issuer of the transferable securities to which the prospectus relates, and |
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(b) |
the person on whose application the prospectus was approved. |
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(6) |
A supplementary prospectus must provide sufficient information to correct any mistake or inaccuracy which gave rise to the need for it. |
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(7) |
Subsection (1) applies also to information contained in any supplementary prospectus published under this section. |
Sections 292(3) and 292(4) state:
2Section 292(3) |
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The requirements are that- |
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(a) |
investors are afforded protection equivalent to that which they would be afforded if the body concerned were required to comply withrecognition requirements; |
(b) |
there are adequate procedures for dealing with a person who is unable, or likely to become unable, to meet his obligations in respect of one or more market contracts connected with the [ROIE] or [ROCH]; |
(c) |
the applicant is able and willing to co-operate with the[FSA] by the sharing of information and in other ways; and |
(d) |
adequate arrangements exist for co-operation between the[FSA] and those responsible for the supervision of the applicant in the country or territory in which the applicant's head office is situated. |
Section 292(4) |
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In considering whether it is satisfied as to the requirements mentioned in subsections (3)(a) and (b), the[FSA] is to have regard to- |
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(a) |
the relevant law and practice of the country or territory in which the applicant's head office is situated; |
(b) |
the rules and practices of the applicant. |
Sections 85 and 86 of the Act provide for when a prospectus approved by the FSA will be required:
85 |
(1) |
It is unlawful for transferable securities to which this subsection applies to be offered to the public in the United Kingdom unless an approved prospectus has been made available to the public before the offer is made. |
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(2) |
It is unlawful to request the admission of transferable securities to which this subsection applies to trading on a regulated market situated or operating in the United Kingdom unless an approved prospectus has been made available to the public before the request is made. |
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(3) |
A person who contravenes subsection (1) or (2) is guilty of an offence and liable – |
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(a) |
on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 months or a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum or both; |
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(b) |
on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years or a fine or both. |
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(4) |
A contravention of subsection (1) or (2) is actionable, at the suit of a person who suffers loss as a result of the contravention, subject to the defences and other incidents applying to actions for breach of statutory duty. |
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(5) |
Subsection (1) applies to all transferable securities other than – |
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(a) |
those listed in Schedule 11A; |
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(b) |
such other transferable securities as may be specified in prospectus rules [see PR 1.2.2 R]. |
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(6) |
Subsection (2) applies to all transferable securities other than – |
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(a) |
those listed in Part 1 of Schedule 11A; |
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(b) |
such other transferable securities as may be specified in prospectus rules [see PR 1.2.3 R]. |
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(7) |
"Approved prospectus" means, in relation to transferable securities to which this section applies, a prospectus approved by the competent authority of the home State in relation to the issuer of the securities. |
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86 |
Exempt offers to the public |
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(1) |
A person does not contravene section 85(1) if – |
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(a) |
the offer is made to or directed at qualified investors only; |
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(b) |
the offer is made to or directed at fewer than 1502 persons, other than qualified investors, per EEA State; |
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(c) |
the minimum consideration which may be paid by any person for transferable securities acquired by him pursuant to the offer is at least 100,0003 euros (or an equivalent amount); 3 |
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(d) |
the transferable securities being offered are denominated in amounts of at least 100,0003 euros (or equivalent amounts); 33 |
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(e) |
the total consideration for the transferable securities being offered in the EEA states3 cannot exceed 100,000 euros (or an equivalent amount); or3 3 |
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3(f) |
the offer falls within subsection (1A). |
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3(1A) |
An offer (“the current offer”) falls within this subsection where transferable securities are resold or placed through a financial intermediary where: |
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3(a) |
the transferable securities have previously been the subject of one or more offers to the public; |
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3(b) |
in respect of one or more of those previous offers, any of paragraphs (a) to (e) of subsection (1) applied; |
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3(c) |
a prospectus is available for the securities which has been approved by a competent authority no earlier than 12 months before the date the current offer is made; and |
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3(d) |
the issuer or other person who was responsible for drawing up the prospectus has given written consent to the use of the prospectus for the purpose of the current offer. |
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(2) |
Where - |
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(a) |
a person who is not a qualified investor ("the client") has engaged a qualified investor falling within point (1) of Section 1 of Annex II to the markets in financial instruments directive3 to act as his agent; and 3 |
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(b) |
the terms on which the qualified investor is engaged enable him to make decisions concerning the acceptance of offers of transferable securities on the client's behalf without reference to the client, |
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an offer made to or directed at the qualified investor is not to be regarded for the purposes of subsection (1) as also having been made to or directed at the client. |
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(3) |
For the purposes of subsection (1)(b), the making of an offer of transferable securities to – |
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(a) |
trustees of a trust, |
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(b) |
members of a partnership in their capacity as such, or |
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(c) |
two or more persons jointly, |
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is to be treated as the making of an offer to a single person. |
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(4) |
In determining whether subsection (1)(e) is satisfied in relation to an offer ("offer A"), offer A is to be taken together with any other offer of transferable securities of the same class made by the same person which – |
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(a) |
was open at any time within the period of 12 months ending with the date on which offer A is first made; and |
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(b) |
had previously satisfied subsection (1)(e). |
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(5) |
For the purposes of this section, an amount (in relation to an amount denominated in euros) is an "equivalent amount" if it is an amount of equal value denominated wholly or partly in another currency or unit of account. |
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(6) |
The equivalent is to be calculated at the latest practicable date before (but in any event not more than 3 working days before) the date on which the offer is first made. |
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(7) |
"Qualified investor" in relation to an offer of transferable securities,3 means – |
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(a) |
a person described in points (1) to (4) of Section I of Annex II to the markets in financial instruments directive, other than a person who, before the making of the offer, has agreed in writing with the relevant firm (or each of the relevant firms) to be treated as a non-professional client in accordance with the final paragraph of Section I of Annex II to that directive;3 3 |
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(b) |
a person who has made a request to one or more relevant firms to be treated as a professional client in accordance with Section II of Annex II to that directive and has not subsequently, but before the making of the offer, agreed in writing with that relevant firm (or each of those relevant firms) to be treated as a non-professional client in accordance with the final paragraph of Section I of Annex II to that directive;3 3 |
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(c) |
a person who is recognised as an eligible counterparty in accordance with article 24 of that directive and has not, before the making of the offer, agreed in writing with the relevant firm (or each of the relevant firms) to be treated as a non-professional client in accordance with the final paragraph of Section I of Annex II of that directive;3 3 |
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3(d) |
a person whom any relevant firm is authorised to continue to treat as a professional client in accordance with article 71(6) of that directive. |
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3(8) |
In subsection (7) “relevant firm” means an investment firm or credit institution acting in connection with the offer. |
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3(9) |
Investment firms and credit institutions must communicate their classification of their clients as being or not being qualified investors on request to an issuer, subject to complying with the Data Protection Act 1998 or any directly applicable EU legislation relating to data protection. |
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3(10) |
In subsections (8) and (9) - “credit institution” means - (a) a credit institution authorised under the banking consolidation directive; or (b) an institution which would satisfy the requirements for authorisation as a credit institution under that directive if it had its registered office (or if it does not have one, its head office) in an EEA State. |