Related provisions for PERG 9.7.1
Table Application of Exemptions to Forms of Promotions
Financial Promotion Order |
Applies to |
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Article No. |
Title and PERG 8 reference (where applicable) |
Unsolicited real time |
Solicited real time |
Non-real time (solicited or unsolicited) |
12 |
Communications to overseas recipients (8.12.2G) |
*1 |
* |
* |
13 |
Communications from customers and potential customers (8.12.9G) |
* |
* |
* |
14 |
Follow up non-real time communications and solicited real time communications (8.12.10G) |
* |
* |
|
15 |
Introductions (8.12.11G) |
* |
* |
*1 |
16 |
Exempt persons (8.12.12G) |
*2 |
*3 |
*3 |
17 |
Generic promotions (8.12.14G and 8.21.4G) |
* |
* |
* |
17A1 |
Communications caused to be made or directed by unauthorised persons (8.6.7AG) |
* |
* |
* |
18 |
Mere conduits (8.12.18G) |
* |
* |
* |
18A |
Outgoing electronic commerce communications: mere conduits, caching and hosting (8.12.18G)1 |
* |
* |
* |
19 |
Investment professionals (8.12.21G and 8.21.5G) |
* |
* |
* |
20 |
Communications by journalists (8.12.23G) |
* |
||
20A |
Promotion broadcast by company director etc (8.12.23G and 8.21.6G) |
* |
* |
* |
20B |
Incoming electronic commerce communications (8.12.38G) |
* |
* |
* |
22 |
Deposits : non-real time communications (8.13) |
* |
||
23 |
Deposits : real time communications (8.13) |
* |
* |
|
24 |
Relevant insurance activity : non-real time communications (8.13) |
* |
||
25 |
Relevant insurance activity : non-real time communications : reinsurance and large risks (8.13) |
* |
||
26 |
Relevant insurance activity : real time communications (8.13) |
* |
* |
|
28 |
One-off non-real time communications and solicited real time communications (8.14.3G) |
* |
* |
|
28A |
One-off unsolicited real time communications (8.14.11G) |
* |
||
28B1 |
Real time communications: introductions in connection with qualifying credit (8.17.12G) |
* |
* |
|
29 |
Communications required or authorised by enactments |
* |
* |
* |
30 |
Overseas communicators: solicited real time communications (8.14.15G) |
* |
||
31 |
Overseas communicators: non-real time communications to previously overseas customers (8.14.17G) |
* |
||
32 |
Overseas communicators: unsolicited real time communications to previously overseas customers (8.14.16G) |
* |
||
33 |
Overseas communicators: unsolicited real time communications to knowledgeable customers (8.14.16G) |
* |
||
34 |
Governments, central banks etc |
* |
* |
|
35 |
Industrial and provident societies |
* |
* |
|
36 |
Nationals of the EEA States other than United Kingdom (8.14.18G) |
* |
* |
|
37 |
Financial markets |
* |
* |
|
38 |
Persons in the business of placing promotional material |
* |
* |
* |
39 |
Joint enterprises (8.14.19G) |
* |
* |
* |
40 |
Participants in certain recognised collective investment schemes |
* |
* |
|
41 |
Bearer instruments: promotions required or permitted by market rules (8.14.42G) |
* |
* |
|
42 |
Bearer instruments: promotions to existing holders (8.14.42G) |
* |
* |
|
43 |
Members and creditors of certain bodies corporate (8.14.41G and 8.21.8G) |
* |
* |
|
44 |
Members and creditors of open-ended investment companies |
* |
* |
|
45 |
Group companies |
* |
* |
* |
46 |
Qualifying credit to bodies corporate (8.17.10G)1 |
* |
* |
*10 |
1046A |
Promotions of credit etc. for business purposes (8.17-A.10G) |
* |
* |
* |
47 |
Persons in the business of disseminating information (8.21.10G) |
* |
* |
* |
48 |
Certified high net worth individuals (8.14.21G) |
* |
* |
|
49 |
High net worth companies, unincorporated associations etc (8.14.25G) |
* |
* |
* |
50 |
Sophisticated investors (8.14.27G) |
* |
* |
* |
50A |
Self-certified sophisticated investors {8.14.28AG) |
*5 |
* |
* |
51 |
Associations of high net worth or sophisticated investors (8.14.29G) |
* |
* |
|
52 |
Common interest group of a company (8.14.30G) |
* |
* |
|
53 |
Settlors, trustees and personal representatives |
* |
* |
* |
54 |
Beneficiaries of trust, will or intestacy |
* |
* |
* |
55 |
Communications by members of professions (8.15.1G) |
* |
* |
|
55A |
Non-real time communication by members of the professions. (8.15.5G) |
* |
||
56 |
Remedy following report by Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration |
* |
* |
* |
57 |
Persons placing promotional material in particular publications |
* |
* |
* |
58 |
Acquisition of interest in premises run by management companies |
* |
* |
|
59 |
Annual accounts and directors' report (8.21.11G) |
* |
* |
* |
60 |
Participation in employee shares schemes |
* |
* |
* |
61 |
Sale of goods and supply of services |
* |
* |
|
62 |
Sale of body corporate (8.14.35G) |
* |
* |
* |
64 |
Takeovers of relevant unlisted companies |
* |
* |
* |
65 |
Takeovers of relevant unlisted companies: warrants etc |
* |
* |
* |
66 |
Takeovers of relevant unlisted companies: application forms |
* |
* |
* |
67 |
Promotions required or permitted by market rules (8.21.13G) |
* |
* |
|
68 |
Promotions in connection with admission to certain EEA markets (8.21.16G) |
* |
* |
|
69 |
Promotions of securities already admitted to certain markets (8.21.17G) |
* |
*1 |
|
701 |
Promotions included in listing particulars etc (8.21.20G)1 |
*1 |
||
711 |
Material relating to prospectus for public offer of unlisted securities |
*1 |
||
721 |
Pension products offered by employers (8.14.40AG8) |
* |
* |
* |
872A |
Pension product offers communicated to employees by third parties (8.14.40AAG) |
* |
* |
* |
872B |
Insurance product offers communicated to employees by employers (8.14.40ABG) |
* |
* |
* |
872C |
Insurance products offers communicated to employees by third parties (8.14.40ACG) |
* |
* |
* |
872D |
Staff mortgage offers communicated to employees by employers (8.14.40ADG) |
* |
* |
* |
872E |
Staff mortgage offers communicated to employees by third parties (8.14.40AEG) |
* |
* |
*10 |
1072F |
Credit agreements offered to employees by employers |
* |
* |
* |
731 |
Advice centres (8.14.40B) |
* |
* |
* |
1 in limited circumstances only – see article 12(2) of the Financial Promotion Order |
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2 for the purpose of article 16 (2) only |
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3 for the purpose of article 16 (1) only1 |
Sections 85 and 86 of the Act provide for when a prospectus approved by the FCA 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 the FCA and meets either of the conditions in subsection (1B);4 and 4 |
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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.4 |
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4(1B) |
The conditions referred to in subsection (1A)(c) are: |
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(a) |
that the prospectus was approved by the FCA no earlier than 12 months before the date the current offer is made, and is supplemented by every supplementary prospectus which was required to be submitted under section 87G; or |
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(b) |
in the case of non-equity transferable securities falling within article 5(4)(b) of the prospectus directive, that the securities concerned have not ceased to be issued in a continuous or repeated manner. |
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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",6 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 –6 |
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6(i) |
any relevant firm was6 authorised to continue to treat as a professional client immediately before 3 January 2018 by virtue of article 71.6 (transitional provisions) of Directive 2004/39/EC on markets in financial instruments; and6 |
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6(ii) |
the firm may continue to treat as a professional client from 3 January 2018 by virtue of Section II.2 of Annex II to the markets in financial instruments 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 which are authorised persons7 must communicate their classification of their clients as being or not being qualified investors on request to an issuer, subject to complying with data protection legislation7. |
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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. |
Table: Examples of factors to take into account when deciding whether old misconduct is sufficiently serious to disclose
Factors to take into account |
Comments |
(A) Whether P has committed a serious breach of individual conduct requirements. |
Individual conduct requirements has the same meaning as in Part Two of SYSC 22 Annex 1R (Template for regulatory references given by relevant authorised persons and disclosure requirements). Factors to take into account in deciding whether the breach is serious include the following. (1) The extent to which the conduct was deliberate or reckless. (2) The extent to which the conduct was dishonest. (3) Whether the breaches are frequent or whether they have continued over a long period of time. The fact that breaches were frequent or repeated may increase the likelihood that they should be disclosed since the breaches may show a pattern of non-compliance. (4) The extent of loss, or risk of loss, caused to existing, past or potential investors, depositors, policyholders or other counterparties or customers. (5) The reasons for the breach. For example, where the breach was caused by lack of experience which has been remedied by training or further experience, it is less likely that the breach will still be relevant. |
(B) Whether the conduct caused B to breach requirements of the regulatory system or P was concerned in a contravention of such a requirement by B and, in each case, whether P’s conduct was itself serious. |
(1) The factors in (A) are relevant to whether P’s conduct was serious. (2) The seriousness of the breach by B is relevant. The factors in (A) are also relevant to this. (3) A breach by B of certain requirements is always likely to be serious under (2). Breach of the threshold conditions is an example. However that does not mean that P’s involvement will automatically be serious. |
(C) Whether P’s conduct involved dishonesty (whether or not also involving a criminal act). |
Dishonesty is an important factor but it is not automatically decisive in every case. For instance, a small one-off case of dishonesty many years ago may not be sufficiently serious to require disclosure. |
(D) Whether the conduct would have resulted in B’s dismissing P, had P still been working for B, based on B's disciplinary policies and the requirements of the law about unfair dismissal. |
|
(E) Whether the conduct was such that, if B was considering P for a role today and became aware of the historical conduct, B would not employ P today notwithstanding the time that has passed. |
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Note 1: P refers to the employee about whom the reference is being written. |
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Note 2: B refers to the firm giving the reference. |