Related provisions for SUP 9.3.4

221 - 240 of 277 items.
Results filter

Search Term(s)

Filter by Modules

Filter by Documents

Filter by Keywords

Effective Period

Similar To

To access the FCA Handbook Archive choose a date between 1 January 2001 and 31 December 2004 (From field only).

Significant changes to, or departures from, a firm's run-off plan are likely to trigger one or more of the firm's obligations to notify the FCA. (See, for example, Principle 11 (Relations with regulators). The guidance in SUP 15.3 (General notification requirements) may also be relevant.)
TC App 6.1.1GRP

1Introduction

1.

An accredited body is a body appearing in the list of such bodies in the Glossary.1

1

2.

Information on accredited bodies, including guidance on the process for including an applicant body in the list, is set out below and the obligation to pay the application fee is set out in FEES 3.2.

3.

[deleted]1

1

Process for including a body in the list of accredited bodies

4.

In considering the compatibility of a proposed addition with the statutory objectives, the FCA will determine whether the applicant will, if accredited, contribute to securing an appropriate degree of protection for consumers having regard in particular to:

(1)

the matters set out in paragraphs 10 to 20; and

(2)

the rules and practices of the applicant.

5.

An application to the FCA to be added to the list of accredited bodies should set out how the applicant will satisfy the criteria in paragraphs 10 to 20. The application should be accompanied by a report from a suitable auditor which sets out its independent assessment of the applicant's ability to meet these criteria. An application form is available from the FCA upon request.

6.

When considering an application for accredited body status the FCA may:

(1)

carry out any enquiries and request any further information that it considers appropriate, including consulting other regulators;

(2)

ask the applicant or its specified representative to answer questions and explain any matter the FCA considers relevant to the application;

(3)

take into account any information which the FCA considers appropriate to the application; and

(4)

request that any information provided by the applicant or its specified representative is verified in such a manner as the FCA may specify.

7.

The FCA will confirm its decision in writing to the applicant.

8.

The FCA will enter into an agreement with the applicant or accredited body which will specify the requirements that the accredited body must meet. These will include the matters set out in paragraphs 10 to 20. Approval as an accredited body becomes effective only when the name of the applicant is added to the Glossary definition of accredited body.

9.

Paragraphs 10 to 20 set out the criteria which an applicant should meet to become an accredited body and which an accredited body should meet at all times.

Acting in the public interest and furthering the development of the profession

10.

The FCA will expect an accredited body to act in the public interest, to contribute to raising consumer confidence and professional standards in the retail investment advice market and to promoting the profession.

Carrying out effective verification services

11.

If independent verification of a retail investment adviser's professional standards has been carried out by an accredited body, the FCA will expect the accredited body to provide the retail investment adviser with evidence of that verification in a durable medium and in a form agreed by the FCA. This is referred to in this Appendix and TC 2.1.28 R as a 'statement of professional standing'.

12.

The FCA will expect an accredited body to have in place effective procedures for carrying out its verification activities. These should include:

(1)

verifying that each retail investment adviser who is a member of or subscriber to the accredited body's verification service has made an annual declaration in writing that the retail investment adviser has, in the preceding 12 months, complied with APER and completed the continuing professional development required under TC 2.1.15 R;1

(2)

verifying annually the continuing professional development records of no less than 10% of the retail investment advisers who have used its service in the previous 12 months to ensure that the records are accurate and the continuing professional development completed by the retail investment advisers is appropriate; and

(3)

verifying that, if required by TC, the retail investment advisers who use its services have attained an appropriate qualification. This should include, where relevant, checking that appropriate qualification gap-fill records have been completed by the retail investment advisers.

13.

The FCA will not expect an accredited body to carry out the verification in paragraph 12(3) if a retail investment adviser provides the accredited body with evidence in a durable medium which demonstrates that another accredited body has previously verified the retail investment adviser's appropriate qualification, including, where relevant, appropriate qualification gap-fill.

14.

The FCA will expect an accredited body to make it a contractual condition of membership (where a retail investment adviser is a member of the accredited body) or of using its verification service (where a retail investment adviser is not a member of the accredited body) that, as a minimum, the accredited body will not continue to verify a retail investment adviser's standards and will withdraw its statement of professional standing if the accredited body is provided with false information in relation to a retail investment adviser's qualifications or continuing professional development or a false declaration in relation to a retail investment adviser's compliance with APER.

In this regard, an accredited body must have in place appropriate decision-making procedures with a suitable degree of independence and transparency.

Having appropriate systems and controls in place and providing evidence to the FCA of continuing effectiveness

15.

The FCA will expect an accredited body to ensure that it has adequate resources and systems and controls in place in relation to its role as an accredited body.

16.

The FCA will expect an accredited body to have effective procedures in place for the management of conflicts of interest and have a well-balanced governance structure with at least one member who is independent of the sector.

17.

The FCA will expect an accredited body to have a code of ethics and to ensure that its code of ethics and verification service terms and conditions do not contain any provisions that conflict with APER.

Ongoing cooperation with the FCA

18.

The FCA will expect an accredited body to provide the FCA with such documents and information as the FCA reasonably requires, and to cooperate with the FCA in an open and transparent manner.

19.

The FCA will expect an accredited body to share information with the FCA (subject to any legal constraints) in relation to the professional standards of the retail investment advisers who use its service as appropriate. Examples might include conduct issues, complaints, dishonestly obtaining or falsifying qualifications or continuing professional development or a failure to complete appropriate continuing professional development. The FCA will expect an accredited body to notify the firm if issues such as these arise.

20.

The FCA will expect an accredited body to submit to the FCA an annual report by a suitable independent auditor which sets out that auditor's assessment of the quality of the body's satisfaction of the criteria in paragraphs 10 to 19 in the preceding 12 months and whether, in the auditor's view, the body is capable of satisfying the criteria in the subsequent 12 months. The FCA will expect this annual report to be submitted to the FCA within three months of the anniversary of the date on which the accredited body was added to the Glossary definition of accredited body.

Withdrawal of accreditation

21.

If an accredited body fails or, in the FCA's view, is likely to fail to satisfy the criteria, the FCA will discuss this with the accredited body concerned. If, following a period of discussion, the accredited body has failed to take appropriate corrective action to ensure that it satisfies and will continue to satisfy the criteria, the FCA will withdraw the accredited body's accreditation by removing its name from the list of accredited bodies published in the Glossary. The FCA will expect the body to notify each retail investment adviser holding a current statement of professional standing of the FCA's decision. A statement of professional standing issued by the accredited body before the withdrawal of accreditation will continue to be valid until its expiration.

PERG 1.4.2GRP

Table: list of general guidance to be found in PERG.

Chapter:

Applicable to:

About:

PERG 2:

Authorisation and regulated activities

PERG 3A:8

Guidance on the scope of the Electronic Money Regulations8

88

a person who needs to know

PERG 4:

Regulated activities connected with mortgages

any person who needs to know whether the activities he conducts in relation to mortgages are subject to FCA regulation. This is likely to include:

  • lenders
  • administration service providers
  • mortgage brokers and advisers

the scope of relevant orders (in particular, the Regulated Activities Order) as respects activities concerned with mortgages

PERG 5:

Insurance

mediation

activities

any person who needs to know whether he carries on insurance mediation activities and is, thereby, subject to FCA regulation. This is likely to include:

the scope of relevant orders (in particular, the Regulated Activities Order) as respects activities concerned with the sale or administration of insurance

PERG 6:

Identification of contracts of insurance

any person who needs to know whether a contract with which he is involved is a contract of insurance

the general principles and range of specific factors that the FCA regards as relevant in deciding whether any arrangement is a contract of insurance

PERG 7:

Periodical publications, news services and broadcasts: application for certification

any person who needs to know whether he will be regulated for providing advice about investments through the medium of a periodical publication, a broadcast or a news service

PERG 8:

Financial promotion and related activities

any person who needs to know

PERG 9:

Meaning of open-ended investment company

any person who needs to know whether a body corporate is an open-ended investment company as defined in section 236 of the Act (Open-ended investment companies) and is therefore a collective investment scheme.

the circumstances in which a body corporate will be an open-ended investment company

PERG 10:

Activities related to pension schemes

Any person who needs to know whether his activities in relation to pension schemes will amount to regulated activities or whether the restriction in section 21 of the Act will apply to any financial promotions he may make.1

1

  • the regulated activities that arise in connection with the establishment and operation of pension schemes and any exclusions that may be relevant
  • the circumstances in which financial promotions about pension schemes may be exempt from the restriction in section 21 of the Act1

4PERG 11:

Property investment clubs and land investment schemes

Any person who needs to know whether his activities in relation to property investment clubs and land investment schemes will amount to regulated activities or whether the restriction in section 21 of the Act will apply to any financial promotions he may make.

  • the regulated activities that may arise in connection with the establishment and operation of property investment clubs and land investment schemes and any exclusions that may be relevant
  • the extent to which the financial promotion restriction in section 21 of the Act applies

2PERG 12:

Running or advising on personal pension schemes

any person who needs to know whether his activities in relation to establishing, running, advising on or marketing personal pension schemes will amount to regulated activities

the regulated activities that arise in connection with establishing, running, advising on or marketing personal pension schemes and any exclusions that may be relevant

3PERG 13:

Guidance on the scope of MiFID and CRD IV12

9125

Any UK person who needs to know whether MiFID or the CRD and EUCRR (which allow the recast CAD to continue to apply to certain firms)9as implemented in the UK apply to him5

9

the scope of MiFID and the CRD and EUCRR.5

9

3PERG 14:

Home reversion,7 home finance and regulated sale and rent back 7activities

7

Any person who needs to know whether his activities in relation to home reversion plans,7home purchase plans or regulated sale and rent back agreements7will amount to regulated activities or whether the restriction in section 21 of the Act will apply to any financial promotions he may make.

7

6PERG 15: Guidance on the scope of the Payment Services Regulations 2009

Any person with an establishment in the UK who needs to know whether the Payment Services Directive, as transposed in UK legislation by the Payment Services Regulations 2009, applies to him.

Q46 applies specifically to persons providing payment services from an establishment outside the EEA to persons located in the UK.

the scope of the PSD Regulations 2009.11

11PERG 16: Scope of the Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive

any person who needs to know whether a collective investment undertaking is an AIF.

the scope of the regulated activities of managing an AIF and acting as trustee or depositary of an AIF.10

10PERG 17: Consumer credit debt counselling

Any person who needs to know whether his activities in relation to debts will amount to debt counselling.

The scope of the regulated activities relating to consumer credit debt counselling.

SYSC 1.1A.2GRP
21The provisions in SYSC should be read in conjunction with GEN 2.2.23 R to GEN 2.2.25 G. In particular:(1) Provisions made by both the FCA and PRA may contain obligations for or references to FCA-authorised persons. GEN 2.2.23 R limits the application of those provisions so that the PRA will only apply them in respect of PRA-authorised persons and not to such FCA-authorised persons as are included within the provision.(2) Provisions made by both the FCA and PRA may be applied