Related provisions for COBS 20.3.4
81 - 100 of 117 items.
1When a firm prepares documents or information in accordance with this chapter, the firm should consider the rules on providing product information (COBS 14). Those rules require a firm to provide the product information in a durable medium or via a website that meets the website conditions (if the website is not a durable medium). [Note: article 29(4) of the MiFID implementing Directive]
3When a firm prepares documents or information for a life policy, personal pension or stakeholder pension in accordance with this chapter, the firm should: (1) consider the rules on communicating with clients (COBS 4). Those rules require a firm to ensure that a communication is fair, clear and not misleading. In particular, a firm should:(a) take into account its target market's understanding of financial services when preparing documents and information;(b) present information
A key features document and a key features illustration2must also:(1) (if it is a key features document) 2be produced and presented to at least the same quality and standard as the sales or marketing material used to promote the relevant product;(2) (if it is a key features document) 2display the firm's brand at least as prominently as any other;(3) (if it is a key features document or a key features illustration which does not form an integral part of the key features document)
A firm is not required to prepare:(1) a document, if another firm has agreed to prepare it; or(2) a key features document for:(a) a unit in a UCITS scheme or3 a simplified prospectus scheme; or(b) a unit in an EEA UCITS scheme which is a recognised scheme; or33(c) a unit in a key features scheme, if it prepares a simplified prospectus, or the information appears with due prominence in another document, instead; or(d) a stakeholder pension scheme, or personal pension scheme that
A single document prepared for more than one key features scheme or3simplified prospectus scheme may combine more than one key features document, simplified prospectus or EEA simplified prospectus or any combination of them, if the schemes are offered through a platform service4 and the document clearly describes the difference between the schemes.34
(1) 1This section applies in relation to MiFID or equivalent third country business.(2) This section applies in relation to other designated investment business carried on for a retail client: (a) in relation to a derivative, a warrant, a non-readily realisable security, a P2P agreement,4 or stock lending activity, but as regards the matters in COBS 2.2.1R (1)(b) only; and (b) in relation to a retail investment product2, but as regards the matters in COBS 2.2.1R (1)(a) and (d)
(1) A firm must provide appropriate information in a comprehensible form to a client about:(a) the firm and its services;(b) designated investments and proposed investment strategies; including appropriate guidance on and warnings of the risks associated with investments in those designated investments or in respect of particular investment strategies;(c) execution venues; and(d) costs and associated charges;so that the client is reasonably able to understand the nature and risks
3A firm, other than a venture capital firm, which is managing investments for a professional client that is not a natural person must disclose clearly on its website, or if it does not have a website in another accessible form:(1) the nature of its commitment to the Financial Reporting Council’s Stewardship Code; or(2) where it does not commit to the Code, its alternative investment strategy.
(1) The section on the process for reattribution (COBS 20.2.42 R to COBS 20.2.52 G):(a) applies to a firm that is proposing to make a reattribution of its inherited estate;(b) but not if, and to the extent that, it would require the firm to breach, or would prevent the firm from complying with, an order made by a court of competent jurisdiction.(2) If a firm proposes to seek an order from a court of competent jurisdiction that would allow or require it to act in a way that is
For an EEA insurer:(1) the rules and guidance on treating with-profits policyholders fairly (COBS 20.2.1 G to COBS 20.2.41 G and COBS 20.2.53 R to COBS 20.2.60 G) apply only in so far as responsibility for the matter in question has not been reserved to the firm'sHome State regulator by an EU2 instrument;2(2) COBS 20.3 (Principles and Practices of Financial Management) does not apply;(3) the rule on providing information to with-profits policyholders who are habitually resident
The provisions of COBS in the table do not apply in respect of any corporate finance business carried on by a firm which is MiFID or equivalent third country business:
COBS |
Description |
Adviser charging and remuneration |
|
Retail investment product provider requirements relating to adviser charging and remuneration |
|
Describing advice services |
|
Disclosing information about services, fees and commission - packaged products |
|
Disclosure of charges, remuneration and commission |
|
Suitability reports |
|
Special rules for providing basic advice on a stakeholder product |
|
Use of dealing commission |
|
Recording telephone conversations and electronic communications |
|
Guidance on contingent liability transaction |
|
Quotations for surrender values |
|
Life insurance contracts - communications to clients |
|
Information to be provided in accordance with COBS 16.2.1 R and 16.3 |
The provisions of COBS in the table are unlikely to be relevant to any corporate finance business carried on by a firm which is MiFID or equivalent third country business:
COBS |
Description |
Distance communications, except in relation to distance contracts concluded with consumers |
|
Insurance mediation |
|
Preparing product information |
|
Providing product information |
|
Cancellation, except cancellation and withdrawal rights in relation to distance contracts concluded with consumers |
|
Claims handling for long-term care insurance |
|
Trustee firms' regime |
|
Energy market activity and oil market activity |
|
Stock lending activity |
|
Pensions - supplementary provisions |
|
With-profits |
COBS 15 (Cancellation) is likely to be of limited application to corporate finance business. Distance contracts concluded with consumers in the course of corporate finance business will be exempt from COBS 15 if the price of the financial service is dependent on fluctuations in the financial market outside the firm's control.
1The
purpose of this chapter is to:2(1) 2set out specific requirements 2relating to the production and
dissemination of investment research and non-independent research; and(2) implementing the provisions of 2the Market Abuse Directive relating to the disclosures
to be made in, and about, research recommendations
The EEA
territorial scope rule modifies the general rule of
application to the extent necessary to be compatible with European law (see
paragraph 1.1 of Part 2 of COBS
1 Annex 1). This means that COBS 12.2 and COBS 12.3.4 G also apply to passported activities carried
on by a UKMiFID
investment firm from a branch in
another EEA state, but do not
apply to the United Kingdombranch of an EEAMiFID investment firm in relation to its MiFID business.
(1) A firm must make a record of the form of each notice provided and each agreement entered into under this chapter. This record must be made at the time that standard form is first used and retained for the relevant period after the firm ceases to carry on business with clients who were provided with that form.(2) A firm must make a record in relation to each client of:(a) the categorisation established for the client under this chapter, including sufficient information to support
A3firm to which SYSC 9 applies 3is required to keep orderly records of its business and internal organisation (see SYSC 9, General rules on record-keeping). Other firms are 3 required to take reasonable care to establish and maintain such systems and controls as are appropriate to their 3business (see SYSC 3, Systems and controls). The records may be expected to reflect the different effect of the rules in this chapter depending on whether the client is a retail client or a professional
A1firm must retain its records relating to suitability for a minimum of the following periods:(1) if relating to a pension transfer, pension conversion, 4pension opt-out or FSAVC, indefinitely;(2) if relating to a life policy,2personal pension scheme2or stakeholder pension scheme, five years;(3) if relating to MiFID or equivalent third country business, five years; and(4) in any other case, three years.
1When
an insurer or managing
agent receives a claim under a long-term
care insurance contract, it must respond promptly by providing
the policyholder, or the person acting on the policyholder's behalf,
with:(1) a claim form (if it requires one
to be completed);(2) a summary of its claims handling
procedure; and(3) appropriate information about the
medical criteria that must be met, and any waiting periods that apply, under
the terms of the policy.
As soon as reasonably practicable after
receipt of a claim, the insurer or managing agent must tell the policyholder, or the person acting
on the policyholder's behalf:(1) (for each part of the claim it
accepts), whether the claim will be settled by paying the policyholder,
providing goods or services to the policyholder or
paying another person to provide
those goods or services; and(2) (for each part of the claim it
rejects), why the claim has been rejected and whether any future
An insurer and
a managing agent must not:(1) unreasonably reject a claim; or(2) except where there is evidence
of fraud, reject a claim for:(a) non-disclosure of a fact material
to the risk which the policyholder could
not reasonably have been expected to disclose; or(b) misrepresentation of a fact material
to the risk, unless the misrepresentation is negligent; or(c) breach of warranty, unless the
circumstances of the claim are connected to the breach, the warranty is material
to
If an intermediate Unitholder receives a reasonable request from an authorised fund manager for information relating to the beneficial owners of the units of a scheme that it operates which the authorised fund manager reasonably needs for the purposes of liquidity management, the intermediate Unitholder must provide that information to the authorised fund manager as soon as is reasonably practicable.
Examples of information which may be reasonably requested by an authorised fund manager include:(1) a breakdown of the total number of units held by the intermediate Unitholder in each scheme to indicate the number of units attributable to individual beneficial owners; and(2) information about the types of distribution channel which have been used to sell the units to the relevant beneficial owners.
(1) If the client elects not to provide the information to enable the firm to assess appropriateness, or if he provides insufficient information regarding his knowledge and experience, the firm must warn the client that such a decision will not allow the firm to determine whether the service or product envisaged is appropriate for him.(2) This warning may be provided in a standardised format. [Note: article 19(5) of MiFID]
1If a client requests a firm (F) to transfer the title to a retail investment product which is held by F directly, or indirectly through a third party, on that client's behalf to another person (P), and F may lawfully transfer the title to that retail investment product to P, F must execute the client's request within a reasonable time and in an efficient manner.
(1) A person to whom a firm provides, intends to provide or has provided:(a) a service in the course of carrying on a regulated activity; or(b) in the case of MiFID or equivalent third country business, an ancillary service,is a "client" of that firm;(2) A "client" includes a potential client.(3) In relation to the financial promotion rules, a person to whom a financial promotion is or is likely to be communicated is a "client" of a firm that communicates or approves it.(4) A
1(1) A corporate finance contact or a venture capital contact is not a client under the first limb of the general definition. This is because a firm does not provide a service to such a contact. However, it will be a client under the third limb of the general definition for the purposes of the financial promotion rules if the firmcommunicates or approves a financial promotion that is or is likely to be communicated to such a contact. 1(2) Communicating or approving a financial
(1) If a firm provides services to a person that is acting as an agent, the identity of its client will be determined in accordance with the rule on agents as clients (see COBS 2.4.3 R).(2) In relation to a firm establishing, operating or winding up a personal pension scheme or a stakeholder pension scheme, a member or beneficiary of that scheme is a client of the firm.(3) If a firm that does not fall within (2) provides services to a person that is acting as the trustee of a
An investment firm shall, in relation to every order received from a client, and in relation to every decision to deal taken in providing the service of portfolio management, immediately make a record of the following details, to the extent they are applicable to the order or decision to deal in question:(1) the name or other designation of the client;(2) the name or other designation of any relevant person acting on behalf of the client;(3) the details specified in point 4, 6,
Immediately after executing a client order, or, in the case of investment firms that transmit orders to another person for execution, immediately after receiving confirmation that an order has been executed, investment firms shall record the following details of the transaction in question:(1) the name or other designation of the client;(2) the details specified in points 2, 3, 4, 6, and in points 16 to 21, of Table 1 of Annex I;(3) the total price, being the product of the unit
If an investment firm transmits an order to another person for execution, the investment firm shall immediately record the following details after making the transmission:(1) the name or other designation of the client whose order has been transmitted;(2) the name or other designation of the person to whom the order was transmitted;(3) the terms of the order transmitted;(4) the date and exact time of transmission. [Note: article 8(2) of MiFID Regulation]
Points 2, 3, 4, 6, 16 - 21 of Table 1 of Annex 1 of the MiFID Regulation
2. |
Trading day |
The trading day on which the transaction was executed. |
3. |
Trading time |
The time at which the transaction was executed, reported in the local time of the competent authority to which the transaction will be reported, and the basis in which the transaction is reported expressed as Co-ordinated Universal Time (UTC) +/- hours. |
4. |
Buy/sell indicator |
Identifies whether the transaction was a buy or sell from the perspective of the reporting investment firm or, in the case of a report to a client, of the client. |
6. |
Instrument identification |
This shall consist of:
|
16. |
Unit price |
The price per security or derivative contract excluding commission and (where relevant) accrued interest. In the case of a debt instrument, the price may be expressed either in terms of currency or as a percentage. |
17. |
Price notation |
The currency in which the price is expressed. If, in the case of a bond or other form of securitised debt, the price is expressed as a percentage, that percentage shall be included. |
18. |
Quantity |
The number of units of the financial instruments, the nominal value of bonds, or the number of derivative contracts included in the transaction. |
19. |
Quantity notation |
An indication as to whether the quantity is the number of units of financial instruments, the nominal value of bonds or the number of derivative contracts. |
20. |
Counterparty |
Identification of the counterparty to the transaction. That identification shall consist of:
|
21. |
Venue identification |
Identification of the venue where the transaction was executed. That identification shall consist in:
|
(1) 1This section applies to a firm in relation to a communication to a client, including an excluded communication, that is a marketing communication within the meaning of the UCITS Directive.(2) This section does not apply to:(a) image advertising; or(b) the instrument constituting the fund2, the prospectus, the key investor information (or alternatively the simplified prospectus or EEA simplified prospectus) or the periodic reports and accounts of either a UCITS scheme or an
(1) A firm must ensure that a marketing communication that comprises an invitation to purchase units in a UCITS scheme or EEA UCITS scheme and that contains specific information about the scheme:(a) makes no statement that contradicts or diminishes the significance of the information contained in the prospectus and the key investor information document or EEA key investor information document for the scheme;(b) indicates that a prospectus exists for the scheme and that the key
A firm must ensure that a marketing communication (other than a key investor information document or EEA key investor information document) relating to a feeder UCITS contains a statement that the feeder UCITS permanently invests at least 85% in value of its assets in units of its master UCITS.[Note: article 63(4) of the UCITS Directive]
The FCA considers that it is important
for the proportions published in compliance with COBS 12.4.10 R (4) to be consistent and meaningful to the recipients of the research recommendations. Accordingly for
non-equity material, the relevant categories should be meaningful to the recipients
in terms of the course of action being recommended.
(1) A firm is not required to ask its client to provide information or assess appropriateness if:(a) the service only consists of execution and/or the reception and transmission of client orders, with or without ancillary services, it relates to particular financial instruments and is provided at the initiative of the client;(b) the client has been clearly informed (whether the warning is given in a standardised format or not) that in the provision of this service the firm is
If a client engages in a course of dealings involving a specific type of product or service through the services of a firm, the firm is not required to make a new assessment on the occasion of each separate transaction. A firm complies with the rules in this chapter provided that it makes the necessary appropriateness assessment before beginning that service. [Note: recital 59 to the MiFID implementing Directive]
A client who has engaged in a course of dealings involving a specific type of product or service beginning before 1 November 2007 is presumed to have the necessary experience and knowledge in order to understand the risks involved in relation to that specific type of product or service. [Note: recital 59 of the MiFID implementing Directive]
1A firm which:2(1) arranges for retail clients to buy retail investment products or makes personal recommendations to retail clients in relation to retail investment products; and22(2) uses a platform service for that purpose;must take reasonable steps to ensure that it uses a platform service which presents its retail investment products without bias.