Related provisions for PERG 2.6.1
1 - 20 of 45 items.
Electronic money is specified as an investment in article 74A of the Regulated Activities Order, but only when issued by:77(1) a full credit institution, a credit union or a municipal bank; or(2) a person deemed to have been granted authorisation under regulation 74 of the Electronic Money Regulations; or a person who falls within regulation 76(1) of the Electronic Money Regulations (see PERG 3A, Q30 and 31).The authorisation and registration requirements for any other person
Shares are defined in the Regulated Activities Order as shares or stock in a wide range of entities; that is, any body corporate wherever incorporated and unincorporated bodies formed under the law of a country other than the United Kingdom. They include deferred shares issued by building societies as well as transferable shares in industrial and provident societies, credit unions and equivalent EEA bodies. These shares are transferable and negotiable in a way similar to other
The following are excluded from the specified investment category of shares. Shares or stock in all open-ended investment companies are excluded from being treated in this particular category (but see PERG 2.6.17 G). Exclusions from this category also apply to shares or stock in the share capital of certain mutuals or in equivalent EEA bodies. This takes out building society or credit union accounts and non-transferable shares in industrial and provident societies. These may nevertheless
Two categories of specified investments relating to debt instruments are dealt with under this heading. They broadly split into private debt and public sector debt.(1) The first category of 'instruments creating or acknowledging indebtedness' (defined in article 77 of the Regulated Activities Order and referred to in the Handbook as debentures) expressly refers to a range of instruments such as debentures, bonds and loan stock and contains a catch-all reference to 'any other instrument
Certain instruments are excluded from both of the6 categories of specified investments referred to in PERG 2.6.11 G6. These include trade bills, specified banking documents (such as cheques and banknotes though not bills of exchange accepted by a banker) and contracts of insurance. There is a further exclusion from this category of specified investment dealing with public debt for National Savings deposits and products. However, for the purposes of article 78 of the Financial
The category of specified investment of instruments giving entitlements to investments (referred to in the Handbook as warrants) covers warrants and other instruments which confer an entitlement to subscribe for shares, alternative debentures, 6debentures and government and public securities. This is one of several categories of specified investments that are expressed in terms of the rights they confer in relation to other categories of specified investment. The rights conferred
There is an exclusion for any instrument that would otherwise fall within the specified investment category of units in a collective investment scheme. But the exclusion does not apply where the underlying investments covered by the certificate are issued by the same (non-public sector) issuer or constitute a single issue of public sector debt (such as a single issue of gilts). Certificates or other instruments conferring rights in respect of investments in these two cases continue
The specified investment category of units in a collective investment scheme includes units in a unit trust scheme, shares in open-ended investment companies and rights in respect of most limited partnerships. Shares in or securities of an open-ended investment company are treated differently from shares in other companies. They are excluded from the specified investment category of shares. This does not mean that they are not investments but simply that they are uniformly treated
There are no exclusions in the Regulated Activities Order for this specified investment category. This is because 'collective investment scheme' is defined in section 235 of the Act (Collective investment schemes) for the purposes of the Act generally. But there is a separate power to provide for exemptions from that definition and the Treasury have exercised it (see the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Collective Investment Schemes) Order 2001 (SI 2001/1062). The result
9It relates only to the regulated activity of bidding in emissions auctions (whereby a bid is received, transmitted and submitted on an auction platform) and captures the two forms of allowance products that may be auctioned under article 4(2) of the auction regulation: a two-day spot or a five-day future.
9This specified investment incorporates definitions from other EU directives or regulations which can be summarised as follows:(1) Emissions allowance means an allowance as defined in article 3(a) of Directive 2003/87/EC which established the scheme for greenhouse gas emissions allowance trading within the EU. That article provides that an allowance is an allowance to emit one tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent during a specified period, only valid for the purpose of meeting the
The specified investment category of options comprises:444(1) 4options to acquire or dispose of securities or contractually based investments, currency and certain precious metals and options to acquire or dispose of such options. Options to buy or sell other types of commodity will only fall within this specified investment category if they are options to buy or sellfutures, or options to buy or sellcontracts for differences, which are based on other commodities. But options
The key issue in determining whether something is an investment in this category for the purposes of the Regulated Activities Order is whether the contract is made for investment purposes rather than commercial purposes. Contracts which are made for commercial purposes are excluded from this specified investment category and the Regulated Activities Order contains several tests as to when that is, or is not, the case (some are conclusive, others only indicative).
4As with options, there is an additional category of instruments which are futures only when they are the object of investment services or activities provided or performed by certain persons. These are contracts as described in PERG 2.6.21 G:(1) that would not be regarded as having been entered into for investment purposes because they fail one of the tests mentioned in PERG 2.6.22 G;(2) that fall within paragraphs 5, 6, 7 or 10 of Annex 1 to MiFID (see PERG 13, Q32 to Q34 for
The specified investment category of contracts for differences covers:4(1) 4rights under contracts for differences;(2) 4rights under other contracts whose purpose or pretended purpose is to secure a profit or avoid a loss by reference to fluctuations in certain factors; and(3) 4other derivative contracts (not within (1) or (2)) falling within paragraph 8 of Annex 1 to MiFID, that is derivative instruments for the transfer of credit risk MiFID (see PERG 13, Q30 to Q31 for guidance
4All contracts in this category are cash-settled instruments (as opposed to being settled by way of delivering something other than cash). Many would be unenforceable as gaming contracts were it not for section 412 of the Act (Gaming contracts). Examples of instruments that count as specified investments under this category are spread bets and interest rate swaps.
There are a number of exclusions. These include a case where the parties intend that the profit is to be secured or the loss to be avoided by taking delivery of property. This avoids overlap with the specified investment categories of options and futures. Also excluded are index-linked deposits and rights under certain contracts connected with the National Savings Bank or National Savings products. There is also provision to ensure that the specified investment category of contracts
Rights to, or interests in, all the specified investments in PERG 2.6 (except rights to, or interests in, rights under a home finance transaction3) are themselves treated as specified investments. The effect is that, in most cases, an activity carried on in relation to rights or interests derived from any of those investments is also a regulated activity if the activity would be regulated if carried on in relation to the investment itself. The exception is where the rights or
There are several things that are not covered by this category (other than rights to, or interests in, rights under a mortgage contract). Anything that is covered by any other specified investment category is excluded, as are interests under the trusts of an occupational pension scheme. Finally, where a contract is excluded from the scope of the regulated activity of entering as provider into a funeral plan contract (see PERG 2.8.14 G), then rights to, or interests in, the contracts
In addition to the requirements as to the business test and the link to the United Kingdom, two other essential elements must be present before a person needs authorisation under the Act. The first is that the investments must come within the scope of the system of regulation under the Act (see PERG 2.6). The second is that the activities, carried on in relation to those specified investments, are regulated under the Act (see PERG 2.7). Both investments and activities are defined
The Regulated Activities Order contains exclusions. Exclusions may exist in relation to both the element of investment and the element of activity. Each should therefore be checked carefully. The exclusions that relate to specified investments are considered in PERG 2.6, together with the outline of the specified investments. The exclusions that relate to activities are considered separately from the outline of activities (see PERG 2.8 and PERG 2.9).
Where a UK RIE proposes to admit to trading (or to cease to admit to trading) by means of its facilities:(1) a specified investment (other than a security or an option in relation to a security); or(2) a type of security or a type of option in relation to a security; it must give the FCA3notice of that event, and the information specified for the purposes of this rule in REC 3.14.6 R to the FCA3, at the same time as that proposal is first formally communicated to its members or
Where a UK recognised body proposes to provide (or to cease to provide) clearing facilitation services3 in respect of:3(1) a specified investment (other than a security or an option in relation to a security); or (2) a type of security or a type of option in relation to a security;it must give the FCA3notice of that event and the information specified for the purposes of this rule in REC 3.14.6 R, at the same time as that proposal is first formally communicated to its members
The following information is specified for the purposes of REC 3.14.2 R and REC 3.14.3 R:(1) a description of the specified investment to which the proposal relates; (2) where that specified investment is a derivative, the proposed terms of that derivative; and (3) in the case of a UK RIE which is admitting that specified investment to trading, the name of any RCH which will provide clearing services in respect of that specified investment under an agreement with that UK RIE.
The FCA3does not need to be notified of proposals to offer (or to withdraw offers of) safeguarding and administration services for individual assets of the same type. Specified investments (other than securities) falling within the same article in Part III of the Regulated Activities Order will normally be regarded as being of the same type. Securities falling within the same article in Part III of the Regulated Activities Order which may be given the same generic description
Financial promotions made by a prospective customer to a person who supplies a controlled investment or services comprising controlled activities with a view to his acquiring the investment, or receiving the services or receiving information about those investments or services, are exempted. This exemption will only be of relevance to corporate customers or others who are acting in the course of business. Other types of customers will not be subject to section 21 to begin wit
Under this exemption, the financial promotion itself must not relate to a controlled investment provided by a person who is identified in it, nor must it identify any person as someone who carries on any controlled activity. So, it will apply where there is a financial promotion of a class of products. For example ‘ISAs are great’ or ‘buy into an investment trust and help the economy’. Such financial promotions may be made by a person such as a trade association which is not itself
Journalists may be able to take advantage of this exemption when writing about investments generally. But the exemption would not apply if the financial promotion recommends the purchase or sale of particular investments such as XYZ Plc shares. This is because it will be identifying XYZ Plc as a person who provides the controlled investment (being its shares) and as a person who carries on the controlled activity of dealing in securities and contractually based investments (by
Provided the conditions in PERG 8.12.25 G are met, the exemption in article 20 applies to any non-real time financial promotion. However, there is an additional condition where the subject matter of the financial promotion is shares or options, futures or contracts for differences relating to shares and the financial promotion identifies directly a person who issues or provides such an investment. In such cases, the exemption is subject to a disclosure requirement which is itself
The main purpose of the exemption appears to be to guard against the possibility that, during the course of a broadcast interview or a live website presentation, a financial promotion is made inadvertently by a director or employee of a company or other business undertaking when he is not acting in the capacity of a journalist (see PERG 8.12.25 G). The exemption applies if the financial promotion relates only to:(1) shares of the undertaking or of another undertaking in the same
The exemption applies where the financial promotion:(1) comprises words which are spoken by the director or employee and not broadcast, transmitted or displayed in writing; or(2) is displayed in writing only because it is part of an interactive dialogue to which the director or employee is a party and in the course of which he is expected to respond immediately to questions put by a recipient of the communication.This is provided that the financial promotion is not part of an
If a firm wishes to cease carrying on an activity for which it has Part 4A permission,27 it will usually apply to vary its Part 4A permission27 to remove that activity. If a firm wishes to cease carrying on an activity in relation to any specified investment, it will usually apply to vary its Part 4A permission27 to remove that specified investment from the relevant activity.272727
A firm with Part 4A permission27 to carry on insurance business, which is applying for a variation of its Part 4A permission27 to add further insurance activities or specified investments, will be required to submit particular information on its existing activities as part of its application. This includes the scheme of operations which is required to be submitted as part of the application pack (for further details on the scheme of operations, see SUP App 2 (Insurers: scheme
In applying to vary its Part 4A permission27 to add categories of specified investments, in relation to insurance business, a firm carrying on insurance business will need to determine the classes of specified investments relating to effecting and carrying out contracts of insurance for which variation of Part 4A permission27 will be necessary, having regard to whether certain classes of contract may qualify to be effected or carried out on an ancillary or supplementary basis
The application for variation of Part 4A permission27 will need to provide information about the classes of contract of insurance for which variation of Part 4A permission27 is requested and also those classes qualifying to be carried on, on an ancillary or supplementary basis. For example, an insurer applying to vary its permission to include class 10 (motor vehicle liability, other than carrier's liability) must satisfy the FCA27 that it will meet, and continue to meet, threshold
In certain cases, the relevant regulator may consider that granting an application for imposition, variation or cancellation of any requirement or for variation of Part 4A permission27 which includes adding further regulated activities or changing a limitation would cause a significant change in the firm's business or risk profile. In these circumstances, the relevant regulator27 may require the firm to complete appropriate parts of the full application pack (see the relevant
A communication must be an invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity for the restriction in section 21 to apply. Section 21(8) defines this phrase as:(1) entering or offering to enter into an agreement the making or performance of which by either party is a controlled activity; or(2) exercising any rights conferred by a controlled investment to acquire, dispose of, underwrite or convert a controlled investment.
Controlled activity and controlled investment are defined in Schedule 1 to the Financial Promotion Order and are listed in PERG 8.36.3 G and PERG 8.36.4 G. Broadly speaking, controlled activities and controlled investments are similar to regulated activities and specified investments under the Regulated Activities Order. However, with controlled activities, the exclusions set out in the Regulated Activities Order do not, in most cases, apply. It is important to note, however,
The overall effect is that a financial promotion must relate in some way to a controlled investment and may be summarised as the communication, in the course of business, of an invitation or inducement to:(1) acquire, dispose of or underwrite certain investments or exercise rights conferred by such an investment for such purpose or for the purpose of converting it; or(2) receive or undertake investment services such as dealing in investments as principal or as agent, managing
So a financial promotion will not include an invitation or inducement to:(1) refrain from doing any of the things in PERG 8.7.3 G; or(2) exercise rights conferred by an investment other than to acquire, dispose of, underwrite or convert an investment.This means that most invitations or inducements to exercise voting rights will not be financial promotions.
Because of the different nature of the specified investments in relation to which these activities are carried on, 'buying' and 'selling' are defined terms that have an extended meaning. For example, some of the specified investments listed in PERG 2.6 are particular things that can be bought and sold in the ordinary meaning of the words. Others fall outside the ordinary meaning of 'buy' and 'sell' because their transfer involves an assumption of a potential liability under a
11Article 24A(2) of the RAO provides that bidding in emissions auctions does not form part of any other regulated activity and so, although in the FCA's view this activity broadly equates to the regulated activities of dealing in investments as principal, dealing in investments as agent, arranging (bringing about) deals in investments or making arrangements with a view to transactions in investments, a person seeking to carry on this activity will only require permission for bidding
The regulated activity of advising on investments under article 53 of the Regulated Activities Order applies to advice on securities or relevant investments. It does not, for example, include giving advice about deposits, or about things that are not specified investments for the purposes of the Regulated Activities Order (such as interests under the trusts of an occupational pension scheme). Giving advice on certain other specified investments is, however, regulated under other
The advice must also be given to someone who holds specified investments or is a prospective investor (including trustees, nominees or discretionary fund managers). This requirement excludes advice given to a person who receives it in another capacity. An example of this might be a tax professional to whom advice is given to inform the practice of his profession or advice given to an employer for the purposes of setting up a group personal pension scheme. Further guidance on the
Under article 53 of the Regulated Activities Order, advising on investments covers advice which:(1) is given to a person in his capacity as an investor or potential investor, or in his capacity as agent for an investor or a potential investor; and(2) is advice on the merits of his (whether as principal or agent) buying, selling, subscribing for or underwriting a particular investment which is a security or a relevant investment or exercising any right conferred by such an investment
The effect of advice being given in the circumstances referred to in PERG 8.24.1 G is that:(1) it must relate to an investment which is a security or a relevant investment;(2) that investment must be a particular investment;(3) it must be given to persons in their capacity as investors or potential investors;(4) it must be advice (that is, not just information); and(5) it must relate to the merits of investors or potential investors (or their agents) buying, selling, subscribing
A firm authorised under Part 4A8 of the Act (Permission to carry on regulated activity) has a single Part 4A permission8 granted by the FCA or the PRA. A firm'sPart 4A permission8 specifies all or some of the following elements (see PERG 2 Annex 2 (Regulated activities and the permission regime) and the information online at the FCA and PRA websites):8888338(1) a description of the activities the firm may carry on, including any limitations;(2) the specified investments involved;
Variation and cancellation of Part 4A permission and imposition, variation and cancellation of requirements. See SUP 6.2.3A G to SUP 6.2.3E G8
8Question |
Variation of Part 4A permission |
Cancellation of Part 4A permission |
Imposition, variation and cancellation of requirements |
What does the application apply to? |
Individual elements of a firm'sPart 4A permission. Variations may involve adding or removing categories of regulated activity or specified investments or varying or removing any limitations in the firm'sPart 4A permission. |
A firm's entire Part 4A permission and not individual elements within it. |
Any requirement imposed on a firm with a Part 4A permission. Requirements may involve requiring the firm concerned to take or refrain from taking a specified action. |
In what circumstances is it usually appropriate to make an application? |
If a firm: 1. wishes to change the regulated activities it carries on in the United Kingdom under a Part 4A permission (SUP 6.3); or 2. has the ultimate intention of ceasing carrying on regulated activities but due to the nature of those regulated activities (for example, accepting deposits, or insurance business) it will require a long term (normally over six months) to wind down (run off) its business (see SUP 6.2.8 G to SUP 6.2.11 G and SUP 6 Annex 4). |
If a firm: 1. has ceased to carry on all of the regulated activities for which it has Part 4A permission (SUP 6.4); or 2. wishes or expects to cease carrying on all of the regulated activities for which it has Part 4A permission in the short term (normally not more than six months). In this case, the firm may apply to cancel its Part 4A permission prior to ceasing the regulated activities (see SUP 6.4.3 G). |
If a firm: 1. wishes to have a new requirement imposed on it; or 2. wishes to vary or cancel an existing requirement imposed by the FCA or PRA (for example, if anything relating to the firm's individual circumstances change and any existing requirement should be varied or cancelled). |
(1) Specific guidance on the additional procedures for a firm winding down (running off) its business in the circumstances discussed in SUP 6.2.8 G is in SUP 6 Annex 4.(2) The guidance in SUP 6 Annex 4 applies to any firm that is applying for variation of Part 4A permission or for the imposition, variation or cancellation of a requirement before it applies for cancellation of Part 4A permission8 to enable it to wind down (run off) its business over a long term period of six months
Table Controlled investments
1. |
A deposit. |
2. |
Rights under a contract of insurance. |
3. |
Shares etc. |
4 |
Instruments creating or acknowledging indebtedness (referred to in the Glossary as debentures and alternative debentures).9 |
5. |
Government and public securities. |
6. |
Instruments giving entitlement to investments (referred to in the Glossary as warrants). |
7. |
Certificates representing certain securities. |
8. |
Units in a collective investment scheme. |
9. |
Rights under a stakeholder pension scheme or a personal pension scheme2. |
10. |
Options. |
11. |
Futures. |
12. |
Contracts for differences etc. |
13. |
Lloyd's syndicate capacity and syndicate membership. |
14. |
Funeral plan contracts |
15. |
Agreements for qualifying credit |
316. |
Rights under a home reversion plan. |
317. |
Rights under a home purchase plan. |
717A. |
Rights under a regulated sale and rent back agreement |
18.3 3 |
Rights to or interests in anything falling under 1 to 143 above. 3 |
Article 59 imposes certain conditions.(1) The financial promotion must be an inducement and not be an invitation or amount to advice to acquire or dispose of an investment.(2) The inducement must not relate to any investment other than shares or debentures or alternative debentures3 issued, or to be issued, by1 the company making the financial promotion (or a member of its group) or warrants relating to or certificates representing such shares or debentures or alternative debentures.3(3)
Article 67 refers to an investment which is permitted to be traded or dealt in on a relevant market. In the FCA's opinion, this includes a situation where a class of securities is traded on a relevant market but the financial promotion relates to new securities of that class which have not yet themselves been issued or started trading. Where securities of that class have not yet been admitted to trading on a relevant market, article 68 may apply – see PERG 8.21.16 G.
Article 69 is somewhat1 similar to article 59 in the conditions it imposes (see PERG 8.21.12 G). There1 are two main differences between article 69 and article 59.1(1) Article 69 does not apply to unsolicited real time financial promotions.(2) The requirement in article 59 that the financial promotion be accompanied by accounts or a report is replaced in article 69. It is replaced by a requirement that shares or debentures or alternative debentures3 of the company or another body
As with any other contract, a contract of insurance that is not effected by way of a deed will only be legally binding if, amongst other things, it is entered into for valuable consideration. Determining what amounts to sufficient consideration in any given case is a matter for the courts. In practice, however, the legal definition of consideration is very wide. In particular, just because a contract of insurance is 'free' in the colloquial sense does not mean that there is no
For an activity to be a regulated activity, it must be carried on in relation to 'specified investments' (see section 22 of the Act Regulated activities) and Part III of the Regulated Activities Order (Specified investments)). For the purposes of insurance mediation activity, specified investments include the following 'relevant investments' defined in article 3(1) of the Regulated Activities Order (Interpretation):(1) rights under any contract of insurance (see article 75 (Contracts
The following Tables 1, 2, 2A and 2B1 provide an outline of the regulated activities and specified investments that may be of relevance to firms considering undertaking passported activities under the Banking Consolidation Directive, 1MiFID3, the UCITS Directive and the Insurance Mediation Directive.1 The tables may be of assistance to UK firms that are thinking of offering financial services in another EEA State and to EEA firms that may offer those services in the United K
Table 2B: Insurance Mediation Directive2 Activities 2 |
Part II RAO Activities |
Part III RAO Investments |
|
1. |
Introducing, proposing or carrying out other work preparatory to the conclusion of contracts of insurance. |
Articles 25, 53 and 64 |
Articles 75, 89 (see Note 1) |
2. |
Concluding contracts of insurance |
Articles 21, 25, 53 and 64 |
Articles 75, 89 |
3. |
Assisting in the administration and performance of contracts of insurance, in particular in the event of a claim. |
Articles 39A, 64 |
Articles 75, 89 |
Note 1. Rights to or interests in life policies are specified investments under Article 89 of the Regulated Activities Order, but rights to or interests in general insurance contracts are not. |
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Rights under an agreement for qualifying credit are a controlled investment.Qualifying credit is defined in paragraph 10 of Schedule 1 to the Financial Promotion Order (Controlled activities) as credit provided pursuant to an agreement under which:(1) the lender is a person who carries on the regulated activity of entering into a regulated mortgage contract (whether or not he is an authorised or exempt person under the Act); and(2) the obligation of the borrower to repay is secured
Schedule to the Recognition Requirements Regulations, Paragraph 4(2)(c)
4Without prejudice to the generality of sub-paragraph [4(1)], the [UK RIE] must ensure that - |
||
(c) |
appropriate arrangements are made forrelevant informationto be made available (whether by the [UK RIE] or, where appropriate, byissuersof the [specified investments]) topersonsengaged indealingin [specified investments] on the [UK RIE]; |
|
Schedule to the Recognition Requirements Regulations, Paragraph 4(3)
4In sub-paragraph [4(2)(c)], |
"relevant information" means information which is relevant in determining the current value of the [specified investments]. |
There are two exemptions that relate to sophisticated investors. The first (article 50 (Sophisticated investors)) applies to persons who are certified by an authorised person and to a broad range of specified investments. The second (article 50A (Self-certified sophisticated investors)) is similar to the exemption for certified high net worth individuals and applies where the investor has self-certified himself and to a narrower range of specified investments. PERG 8.14.27 G to
The second exemption in article 50A disapplies the restriction in section 21 of the Act from any financial promotions4 which are made to a person who the communicator believes on reasonable grounds to be a self-certified sophisticated investor and which relate to one or more of the specified investments in PERG 8.14.21G (1) to (3) (Certified high net worth individuals (article 484)).44
A financial promotion made under article 55A must contain a statement in the following terms: “The [firm/company] is not authorised under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 but we are able in certain circumstances to offer a limited range of investment services to clients because we are members of [relevant designated professional body]. We can provide these investment services if they are an incidental part of the professional services we have been engaged to provide".