Related provisions for COBS 9.4.8
21 - 40 of 118 items.
A firm must provide a client6 with the following general information, if relevant:(1) the name and address of the firm, and the contact details necessary to enable a client to communicate effectively with the firm;(2) [deleted]6(3) the methods of communication to be used between the firm and the client including, where relevant, those for the sending and reception of orders;(4) a statement of the fact that the firm is authorised and the name of the competent authority that has
(1) A firm that manages investments for a client must establish an appropriate method of evaluation and comparison such as a meaningful benchmark, based on the investment objectives of the client and the types of designated investments included in the client portfolio, so as to enable the client to assess the firm's performance.(2) If a firm proposes to manage investments for a client6, the firm must provide the client with such of the following information as is applicable:(a)
(1) A firm that holds designated investments or client money for a client6 subject to the custody chapter or the client money chapter must provide that client with the following information:444(a) if applicable,(i) that the designated investments or client money of that client may be held by a third party on behalf of the firm;(ii) the responsibility of the firm under the applicable national law for any acts or omissions of the third party; and(iii) the consequences for the client
A firm must provide a client6 with information on costs and associated charges including, if applicable:(1) the total price to be paid by the client in connection with the designated investment or the designated investment business6,including all related fees, commissions, charges and expenses, and all taxes payable via the firm or, if an exact price cannot be indicated, the basis for the calculation of the total price so that the client can verify it. The commissions charged
(1) A firm must provide a client with the information required by this section in good time before the provision of designated investment business6 unless otherwise provided by this rule.(2) A firm may instead provide that information immediately after starting to provide designated investment business6 if:(a) the firm was unable to comply with (1) because, at the request of the client, the agreement was concluded using a means of distance communication2 which prevented the firm
(1) A firm must notify a client in good time about any material change to the information provided under this section which is relevant to a service that the firm is providing to that client.(2) A firm must provide this notification in a durable medium if the information to which it relates was given in a durable medium.6
(1) A firm need not treat each of several transactions in respect of the same type of financial instrument as a new or different service and so does not need to comply with the disclosure rules in this chapter in relation to each transaction.6(2) But a firm should ensure that the client has received all relevant information in relation to a subsequent transaction, such as details of product charges that differ from those disclosed in respect of a previous transaction.
(1) A firm6must make available to a client, who has used or intends to use the firm’s6 services, information necessary for the identification of the compensation scheme or any other investor-compensation scheme of which the firm is a member (including, if relevant, membership through a branch) or any alternative arrangement provided for in accordance with the Investor Compensation Directive.(2) The information under (1) must include the amount and scope of the cover offered by
(1) 1A2platform service provider must clearly disclose the total platform charge to the retail client32 in a durable medium in good time before the provision of designated investment business.22(2) In the event that it is not possible to make the disclosure in (1) in good time before the provision of designated investment business, the disclosure must be made as soon as practicable thereafter.
2A platform service provider should pay due regard to its obligations under Principle 6 (Customers’ interests) and the client's best interests rule and not vary its platform charges inappropriately according to provider or, for substitutable and competing retail investment products, the type of retail investment product.
2Except as specified in COBS 6.1E.6 R and COBS 6.1E.7 R, a platform service provider must:(1) only be remunerated for its platform service (and any other related services it provides), by platform charges; and(2) ensure that none of its associates accepts any remuneration in respect of those services.
2Examples of remuneration that should not be accepted by a platform service provider or its associates include (but are not limited to):(1) a share of an annual management charge; and(2) any payment (other than a product charge or a platform charge) made to a platform service provider in its capacity as a retail investment product provider where the relevant retail investment product is distributed to retail clients by its platform service.
2A platform service provider or its associates may solicit and accept payments from:(1) a firm, other than a retail investment product provider, which is in the business of making personal recommendations to retail clients in relation to retail investment products; and/or(2) a firm, other than a retail investment product provider, which is in the business of arranging or dealingretail investment products for retail clients.
2Other than in COBS 6.1E.6 R, a3platform service provider or its associates may solicit and accept payments from any3firm, including a retail investment product provider,3 which are only for:(1) pricing error corrections;(2) administering corporate actions;(3) research carried out by the platform service provider and management information; and(4) advertising;provided that:(5) the services are available to firms at a price which does not vary inappropriately according to firm;(6)
2A platform service provider must not arrange for a retail client to buy a retail investment product if:(1) the product’s charges are presented in a way that offsets or may appear to offset any adviser charges or platform charges that are payable by that retail client; or(2) the platform service provider's charges are presented in a way that offsets or may appear to offset any product charges or adviser charges that are payable by the retail client; or(3) the product’s charges
2A firm must not use a platform service as part of a personal recommendation to a retail client in relation to a retail investment product unless it has satisfied itself that the platform service provider, and its associates, only receive remuneration for business carried on in the UK which is permitted by the rules in this section.
2COBS 6.1E.4 R does not prevent a platform service provider receiving a share of an annual management charge from an authorised fund manager if the platform service provider passes that share on to the retail client in the form of:(1) additional units; or(2) cash, provided that it does not offset or appear to offset any adviser charges or platform charges.
2Examples of a cash share of an annual management charge that would not offset or appear to offset any adviser charges or platform charges are:(1) where the retail client has redeemed his retail investment product; or(2) where the value of the payment made to the retail client in each month does not exceed £1 for each fund.
3(1) This section applies to a long-term insurer, unless, at the time of application, the client, other than an EEA ECA recipient, was habitually resident:3(a) in an EEA State other than the United Kingdom; or(b) outside the EEA and he was not present in the United Kingdom.(2) In addition, COBS 16.6.8 R applies to an operator of a personal pension scheme or stakeholder pension scheme in relation to a retail client who elects to make income withdrawals.3
4(1) The policyholder must be informed if during the term of a life policy entered into on or after 1 July 1994 there is any change in the following information:4(a) the policy conditions;4(b) the name of the insurer, its legal form or the address of its head office and, where appropriate, of the agency or branch which concluded the contract; and4(c) the information in (8) to (13) of COBS 13 Annex 1 (The Solvency II Directive information) in the event of a change in the policy
If a life policy entered into on or after 1 July 1994 provides for the payment of bonuses and the amounts of bonuses are unspecified, the long-term insurer must, in every calendar year except the first, either:(1) notify the policyholder in writing of the amount of any bonus which has become payable under the contract, and which has not previously been notified under this rule; or(2) give the policyholder in writing sufficient information to enable him to determine the amount
4If a firm provides figures, on or after 1 January 2016, about the potential future development of bonuses under a with-profits policy it must inform the policyholder annually in writing of any differences between the actual bonuses payable to date and the figures previously provided.[Note: article 185(5) of the Solvency II Directive]
(1) When a firm provides information in accordance with this section, it must provide the information in a durable medium, unless (2) applies.(2) If the contract is being made by telephone, the firm may give the information orally to the customer. If the customer enters into the contract, a written version of the required information must be sent to the customer within five business days of the contract being entered into.
1At each anniversary of the date on which a long-term care insurance contract which is based on single premium investment bonds was entered into, the insurer must:(1) provide the retail client with a table based on the format of COBS 13 Annex 3 2.2R containing at least the current fund value and projected future policy values (as in column "What you might get back"); (2) where it is the case, inform the retail client of the possibility that future policy values may be insufficient
1At intervals no longer than 12 months from the date of an election by a retail client to make income withdrawals or one-off, ad-hoc or regular uncrystallised funds pension lump sumpayments6, the relevant operator of a personal pension scheme or stakeholder pension scheme3must:53(1) provide the retail client with such information as is necessary for3 the retail client to review the election, including where relevant the information required by COBS 13 Annex 2 2.9R3; and3(2) inform
5The information provided to the retail client in COBS 16.6.8R(1) is likely to be sufficient for the client to review the election if it contains at least one of the following:(1) the information required by COBS 13 Annex 2 2.9R (Additional requirements: drawdown pensions and regular uncrystallised funds pension lump sum payments); or(2) the effect of any significant one-off withdrawals or payments since the previous information was provided; or(3) (where regular income is being
1This chapter applies to a firm:(1) communicating with a client in relation to its designated investment business (other than MiFID, equivalent third country or optional exemption business)10;(1A) 10communicating with a client in relation to its MiFID, equivalent third country or optional exemption business;(2) communicating or approving a financial promotion other than:(a) a financial promotion of qualifying credit, a home purchase plan or a home reversion plan; or(b) a financial
(1) 4This chapter applies in relation to an authorised professional firm in accordance with COBS 18 (Specialist regimes).(2) This chapter applies, to a limited extent, in relation to communicating or approving a financial promotion that relates to a deposit if the deposit is a structured deposit, cash deposit ISA or cash deposit CTF.
A firm is required to comply with the financial promotion rules in relation to a financial promotioncommunicated by its appointed representative even where the financial promotion does not require approval because of the exemption in article 16 of the Financial Promotion Order (Exempt persons).[Note: see section 39 of the Act]
(1) In COBS 4.3.1 R,9 the defined term9 "financial promotion" includes9, in relation to MiFID or equivalent third country business, MiFID, equivalent third country or optional exemption business9, all communications that are marketing communications within the meaning of MiFID.(2) In the case of MiFID, equivalent third country or optional exemption business9, certain requirements in this chapter are subject to an exemption for the communication of a third party prospectus in certain
Approving a financial promotion without communicating it (which includes causing it to be communicated)3 is not MiFID, equivalent third country or optional exemption business9. Communicating a financial promotion to a person, such as a corporate finance contact or a venture capital contact, who is not a client within the meaning of COBS 3.2.1 R (1), COBS 3.2.1 R (2) or COBS 3.2.1 R (4) in respect of the MiFID, equivalent third country or optional exemption business9 to which
A reference in this chapter to MiFID, equivalent third country or optional exemption business9 includes a reference to communications that occur before an agreement to perform services in relation to MiFID, equivalent third country or optional exemption business9.[Note: see recital 169 to the MiFID Org Regulation9]
(1) In relation to communications by a firm to a client in relation to its designated investment business this chapter applies in accordance with the general application rule and the rule on business with UKclients from an overseas establishment (COBS 1 Annex 1 Part 2 paragraph 2.1R).(2) In addition, the financial promotion rules apply to a firm in relation to:(a) the communication of a financial promotion to a person inside the United Kingdom;(b) the communication of a cold call
(1) The EEA territorial scope rule modifies the general territorial scope of the rules in this chapter to the extent necessary to be compatible with European law. This means that in a number of cases, the rules in this chapter will apply to communications made by UK firms to persons located outside the United Kingdom and will not apply to communications made to persons inside the United Kingdom by EEA firms. Further guidance on this is located in COBS 1 Annex 1.(2) One effect
Firms should note the territorial scope of this chapter is also affected by:(1) the disapplication for financial promotions originating outside the United Kingdom that are not capable of having an effect within the United Kingdom (section 21(3) of the Act (Restrictions on financial promotion)) (see the defined term “excluded communication”);(2) the exemptions for overseas communicators (see the defined term “excluded communication”); and(3) the rules on financial promotions with
The restrictions on administration charges in COBS 19.6.4 R do not apply in relation to a default arrangement under which, at any time before benefits come into payment, those benefits accruing to the member involve, or involve an option to have, a promise by or to be obtained from a third party about the rate or amount of those benefits.
(1) In this section, where express agreement is required by a rule, the FCA would expect firms to take active steps to obtain the informed, active consent of the affected member(s) of the qualifying scheme, and to have that consent in writing in a durable medium, capable of being produced or reproduced when requested by the FCA. (2) The FCA does not consider the following to amount to express agreement (this list is not exhaustive):(a) a member receiving a communication stating
A firm, for a default arrangement within a qualifying scheme, may only make, impose or otherwise facilitate payment of an administration charge1 by way of an accrued rights charge or a combination charge structure where:(1) the limits in COBS 19.6.6 R are not exceeded; or(2) the firm has obtained appropriate express agreement to exceed the limits and the following conditions are satisfied:(a) the express agreement contains an acknowledgement by the member that the administration
The effect of COBS 19.6.4R (2)(c) is that a firm may not seek express agreement from a member to charges in excess of the limits for services which are obligatory under law, or form part of the core operation of the scheme. Such core services include, for example, designing and implementing an investment strategy, investing contributions to the scheme (to the extent that this would incur administration charges1), holding investments relating to scheme members and transferring
The limits on administration charges are as follows: (1) for a qualifying scheme which uses only an accrued rights charge, 0.75% of the value of those accrued rights; (2) for a qualifying scheme which uses a combination charge scheme:(a) for the flat-fee charge element, £25 annually;(b) for the contribution percentage charge element, 2.5% of the contributions annually; (c) for the associated accrued rights charge, the limits as set out in column 2 of the table in COBS 19.6.7
This is the table referred to in COBS 19.6.6 R.
Contribution percentage charge rate (%) |
Accrued rights charge rate (%) |
1 or lower |
0.6 |
Higher than 1 but no higher than 2 |
0.5 |
Higher than 2 but no higher than 2.5 |
0.4 |
Flat-fee charge (£) |
Accrued rights charge rate (%) |
10 or less |
0.6 |
More than 10 but no more than 20 |
0.5 |
More than 20 but no more than 25 |
0.4 |
(1) To ensure that administration charges1 are within the limits set out in COBS 19.6.6 R:(a) a firm should calculate the value of accrued rights in an accrued rights charge as the arithmetic mean over a 12-month period of membership of the qualifying scheme, using at least four evenly-distributed reference points over that period;(b) a firm should calculate the value of contributions in a contribution percentage charge over a 12-month period of membership of the qualifying scheme
(1) A firm must not make any administration charge,1 or otherwise make or facilitate any payment or provide any non-monetary benefit, in respect of any service provided by a third party in connection with a qualifying scheme which would have the effect of decreasing the value of the accrued rights of any member of that scheme.22(2) The restriction in (1) does not apply where the firm has obtained express agreement from the relevant member to such a payment.
(1) If a firm considers it appropriate, having regard to the size, nature and complexity of the relevant schemes it operates, it may establish a governance advisory arrangement instead of an IGC.(2) If a firm has decided to establish a governance advisory arrangement rather than an IGC, this section (other than COBS 19.5.9R (2), COBS 19.5.9R (3), COBS 19.5.10 G, COBS 19.5.11 R and COBS 19.5.12 G) apply to the firm by reading references to the IGC as references to the governance
(1) Firms with large or complex relevant schemes should establish an IGC. For the purposes of this section, a firm may determine whether it has large relevant schemes by reference to:(a) the number of relevant policyholders in relevant schemes; (b) the funds under management in relevant schemes; and(c) the number of employers contributing to relevant schemes.(2) Examples of features that might indicate complex schemes include: (a) schemes that are operated on multiple information
A firm must include, as a minimum, the following requirements in its terms of reference for an IGC:(1) the IGC will act solely in the interests of relevant policyholders;(2) the IGC will assess the ongoing value for money for relevant policyholders delivered by relevant schemes particularly, though not exclusively, through assessing:(a) whether default investment strategies within those schemes:(i) are designed and executed in the interests of relevant policyholders;(ii) have
(1) An IGC is expected to act in the interests of relevant policyholders both individually and collectively. Where there is the potential for conflict between individual and collective interests, the IGC should manage this conflict effectively. An IGC is not expected to deal directly with complaints from individual policyholders. (2) The primary focus of an IGC should be the interests of relevant policyholders. Should a firm ask an IGC to consider the interests of other members,
A firm must:(1) take reasonable steps to ensure that the IGC acts and continues to act in accordance with its terms of reference;(2) take reasonable steps to provide the IGC with all information reasonably requested by the IGC for the purposes of carrying out its role;(3) provide the IGC with sufficient resources as are reasonably necessary to allow it to carry out its role independently;(4) have arrangements to ensure that the views of relevant policyholders can be directly represented
(1) A firm should consider allocating responsibility for the management of the relationship between the firm and its IGC to a person at the firm holding an FCAsignificant-influence function.(2) A firm should fund independent advice for the IGC if this is necessary and proportionate.(3) A firm should not unreasonably withhold from the IGC information that would enable the IGC to carry out a comprehensive assessment of value for money. (4) A firm should have arrangements for sharing
(1) A firm must take reasonable steps to ensure that the IGC has sufficient collective expertise and experience to be able to make judgements on the value for money of relevant schemes.(2) A firm must recruit independent IGC members through an open and transparent recruitment process.(3) A firm must appoint members to the IGC so that:(a) the IGC consists of at least five members, including an independent Chair and a majority of independent members; (b) IGC members are bound by
(1) The effect of COBS 19.5.9R (3)(b) is that employees of the firm who serve on an IGC should be subject to appropriate contractual terms so that, when acting in the capacity of an IGC member, they are free to act within the terms of reference of the IGC without conflict with other terms of their employment. In particular, when acting as an IGC member, an employee will be expected to act solely in the interests of relevant policyholders and should be able to do so without breaching
(1) An IGC member is unlikely to be considered independent if any of the following circumstances exist:(a) the individual is an employee of the firm or of a company within the firm'sgroup or paid by them for any role other than as an IGC member, including participating in the firm's share option or performance-related pay scheme;(b) the individual has been an employee of the firm or of another company within the firm'sgroup within the five years preceding his appointment to the
A firm must make at least the following information easily, directly and permanently accessible to the recipients of the information society services it provides:(1) its name;(2) the geographic address at which it is established;(3) the details of the firm, including its e-mail address, which allow it to be contacted rapidly and communicated with in a direct and effective manner;(4) an appropriate statutory status disclosure statement (GEN 4 Annex 1 R or GEN 4 Annex 1A R as appropriate4),
A firm must ensure that commercial communications which are part of, or constitute, an information society service, comply with the following conditions:(1) the commercial communication must be clearly identifiable as such;(2) the person on whose behalf the commercial communication is made must be clearly identifiable;(3) promotional offers must be clearly identifiable as such, and the conditions that must be met to qualify for them must be easily accessible and presented clearly
A firm must (except when otherwise agreed by parties who are not consumers):(1) give an ECA recipient at least the following information, clearly, comprehensibly and unambiguously, and prior to the order being placed by the recipient of the service:(a) the different technical steps to follow to conclude the contract;(b) whether or not the concluded contract will be filed by the firm and whether it will be accessible;(c) the technical means for identifying and correcting input
(1) A firm (other than a UCITS management company3 providing collective portfolio management services)1 which is authorised to execute orders on behalf of clients must implement procedures and arrangements which provide for the prompt, fair and expeditious execution of client orders, relative to other orders or the trading interests of the firm.[Note: paragraph 1 of article 28(1)3 of MiFID](2) These procedures or arrangements must allow for the execution of otherwise comparable
Where a management company3 executes the order itself in the course of providing collective portfolio management services,1 it must take all reasonable steps to ensure that any clientfinancial instruments or client funds received in settlement of that executed order are promptly and correctly delivered to the account of the appropriate UCITS scheme3. [Note:3 article 27(1) third paragraph of the UCITS implementing Directive]11
Without prejudice to the Market Abuse Regulation2, for the purposes of the provision3 on the misuse of information (see COBS 11.3.5AEU3), any use by a firm of information relating to a pending client order in order to deal on own account in the financial instruments to which the client order relates, or in related financial instruments, should be considered a misuse of that information. However, the mere fact that market makers or bodies authorised to act as counterparties confine
In this section, carrying out client orders includes:(1) the execution of orders on behalf of clients;(2) the placing of orders with other entities for execution that result from decisions to deal in financial instruments on behalf of clients when providing the service of portfolio management or collective portfolio management;1(3) the transmission of client orders to other entities for execution when providing the service of reception and transmission of orders.
(1) If a firm is managing investments on behalf of a client, it must provide the client with a periodic statement in a durable medium unless:3(a) 3such a statement is provided by another person; or(b) 3all of the conditions in (1A) are satisfied.(1A) 3The conditions are that:(a) 3the firm provides the client with access to an online system which qualifies as a durable medium;(b) 3the online system provides the client with easy access to:(i) 3up-to-date valuations of the client’sdesignated
(1) In the case of a retail client, the periodic statement must be provided once every six months, except in the following cases:(a) if the retail client so requests, the periodic statement must be provided every three months;(b) if the retail client elects to receive information about executed transactions on a transaction-by-transaction basis (COBS 16.3.3 R) and there are no transactions in derivatives or other securities giving the right to acquire or sell a transferable security
(1) If the client elects to receive information about executed transactions on a transaction-by-transaction basis, a firmmanaging investments must provide promptly to the client, on the execution of a transaction, the essential information concerning that transaction in a durable medium.(2) If the client is a retail client, the firm must send the client3 a notice confirming the transaction and containing such of the information identified in column (1) of the table in COBS 16
For the purposes of calculating the unit price in the trade confirmation information or periodic information, where the order is executed in tranches, the firm may supply the client with information about the price of each tranche or the average price. If the average price is provided, the firm must supply the retail client with information about the price of each tranche upon request.3
(1) If a firm:(a) manages investments for a retail client; or(b) operates a retail client account that includes an uncovered open position in a contingent liability transaction,it must report to the retail client any losses exceeding any predetermined threshold, agreed between it and the retail client.(2) The firm must report:(a) no later than the end of the business day in which the threshold is exceeded; or(b) if the threshold is exceeded on a non-business day, the close of
When providing a periodic statement to a retail client, a firm should consider whether to include:(1) the collateral value in respect of any contingent liability transaction in the client's portfolio during the relevant period; and(2) option account valuations in respect of each open option written by the client in the client's portfolio at the end of the relevant period; stating:(a) the share, future, index or other investment involved;(b) the trade price and date for the opening
1This chapter applies to a firm which:4(a) 4makes a personal recommendation to a retail client in relation to a designated investment;(b) 4manages investments of a retail client of the firm;(c) 4manages the assets of an occupational pension scheme, stakeholder pension scheme or personal pension scheme,4other than in relation to its MiFID, equivalent third country or optional exemption business. 32
3This chapter does not apply to a firm which manages investments when that firm takes a decision to trade for a client and that decision relates to a P2P agreement. This is because the regulated activity of managing investments does not extend to the management of assets where those assets are P2P agreements.
The effect of these application rules and the fact that the Insurance Mediation Directive does not apply to an insurer (unless it is involved in mediation activities) is that this chapter does not apply to an insurer when it is making a personal recommendation to a professional client to take out a life policy.
(1) Subject to (2) and (3), this section applies to a firm in relation to:1(a) [deleted]61222(b) the communication or approval of a financial promotion,61where such information or financial promotion is addressed to, or disseminated in such a way that it is likely to be received by, a retail client.1(2) This section does not apply to a firm communicating in relation to its MiFID, equivalent third country or optional exemption business633(3) This6 section does not apply in relation
A firm must ensure that information that contains an indication of past performance of relevant business, a relevant investment or a financial index, satisfies the following conditions:(1) that indication is not the most prominent feature of the communication;(2) the information includes appropriate performance information which covers the6 preceding five years, or the whole period for which the investment has been offered, the financial index has been established, or the service
The obligations relating to describing performance should be interpreted in the light of their purpose and in a way that is appropriate and proportionate taking into account the means of communication and the information the communication is intended to convey. For example, a periodic statement in relation to managing investments that is sent in accordance with the rules on reporting information to clients (see COBS 16) may include past performance as its most prominent featu
If a financial promotion includes information referring to the past performance of a packaged product that is not a financial instrument2, a firm will comply with the rule on appropriate performance information (COBS 4.6.2R (2)) if the financial promotion includes, in the case of a scheme, unit-linked life policy, unit-linked personal pension scheme or unit-linked stakeholder pension scheme (other than a unitised with-profits life policy or stakeholder pension scheme) past performance
(1) In relation to a packaged product (other than a scheme, a unit-linked life policy, unit-linked personal pension scheme or a unit-linked stakeholder pension scheme (that is not a unitised with-profits life policy or stakeholder pension scheme)), the information should be given on:(a) an offer to bid basis (which should be stated) if there is an actual return or comparison of performance with other investments; or(b) an offer to offer, bid to bid or offer to bid basis (which
A firm must ensure that information that contains an indication of simulated past performance of relevant business, a relevant investment or a financial index, satisfies the following conditions:(1) it relates to an investment or a financial index;(2) the simulated past performance is based on the actual past performance of one or more investments or financial indices which are the same as, substantially the same as,6 or underlie, the investment concerned;(3) in respect of the
(1) A firm must ensure that information that contains an indication of future performance of relevant business, a relevant investment, a structured deposit or a financial index, satisfies the following conditions:(a) it is not based on and does not refer to simulated past performance;(b) it is based on reasonable assumptions supported by objective data;(c) where6 the indication is based on gross performance, the effect of commissions, fees or other charges is disclosed6; (ca)
(1) 1A firm that communicates to a client a projection for a packaged product which is not a financial instrument2must ensure that the projection complies with the projectionsrules in COBS 13.4, COBS 13.5 and COBS 13 Annex 2.2(2) A firm must not communicate a projection for a highly volatile product to a client unless the product is a financial instrument.
The rules in SYSC 3 (and also for Solvency II firms, the PRA Rulebook: Solvency II firms: Conditions Governing Business)1 and SYSC 4 require a firm that communicates with a client in relation to designated investment business, or communicates or approves a financial promotion, to put in place systems and controls or policies and procedures, or an effective internal control system,1 in order to comply with the rules in this chapter.
(1) Before a firmapproves a financial promotion for communication by an unauthorised person, it must confirm that the financial promotion complies with the financial promotion rules.(2) If, at any time after a firm has complied with (1), a firm becomes aware that a financial promotion no longer complies with the financial promotion rules, it must withdraw its approval and notify any person that it knows to be relying on its approval as soon as reasonably practicable.(3) When approving
(1) Section 21(1) of the Act (Restrictions on financial promotion) prohibits an unauthorised person from communicating a financial promotion, in the course of business, unless an exemption applies or the financial promotion is approved by a firm. Many of the rules in this chapter apply when a firmapproves a financial promotion in the same way as when a firmcommunicates a financial promotion itself.(2) A firm may also wish to approve a financial promotion that it communicates itself.
If a firmapproves a financial promotion in circumstances in which one or more of the financial promotion rules, or the prohibition on approval of promotions for collective investment schemes in section 240(1) of the Act (Restriction on approval), are expressly disapplied, the approval must be given on terms that it is limited to those circumstances.
If an approval is limited, and an unauthorised personcommunicates the financial promotion to persons not covered by the approval, the unauthorised person may commit an offence under the restriction on financial promotion in the Act (section 21). A firm giving a limited approval may wish to notify the unauthorised person accordingly.
(1) Subject to (2) and (3), this section applies to a firm in relation to:(a) the provision of information in relation to its designated investment business; and(b) the communication or approval of a financial promotion;where such information or financial promotion is addressed to, or disseminated in such a way that it is likely to be received by, a retail client.(2) This section does not apply to a firm communicating in relation to its MiFID, equivalent third country or optional
A firm must ensure that information:(1) includes the name of the firm;(2) is accurate and always gives a fair and prominent indication of any relevant risks when referencing6 any potential benefits of relevant business or a relevant investment6; (3) is sufficient for, and presented in a way that is likely to be understood by, the average member of the group to whom it is directed, or by whom it is likely to be received;6(4) does not disguise, diminish or obscure important items,
In deciding whether, and how, to communicate information to a particular target audience, a firm should take into account the nature of the product or business, the risks involved, the client's commitment, the likely information needs of the average recipient, and the role of the information in the sales process.
When communicating information, a firm should consider whether omission of any relevant fact will result in the6 information being insufficient, unclear, unfair or misleading. When considering whether a fact should be included in the communication or omitted from it, a firm should bear in the mind the guidance in COBS 4.2.2G to provide information which is appropriate and proportionate.7
(1) If any information refers to a particular tax treatment, a firm must ensure that it prominently states that the tax treatment depends on the individual circumstances of each client and may be subject to change in future.6(2) This rule applies in relation to a financial promotion except6 to the extent that it relates to66a pure protection contract that is a long-term care insurance contract6.
(1) A firm must ensure that information contained in a financial promotion is consistent with any information the firm provides to a retail client in the course of carrying on designated investment business6.6(2) This rule does not apply to a financial promotion to the extent that it relates 6a pure protection contract that is a long-term care insurance contract.
4Examples of information about relevant risks (COBS 4.5.2R) that a firm should give a retail client in relation to an innovative finance ISA include:(1) an explanation of the tax consequences if:(a) the innovative finance component is a P2P agreement that is not repaid; and (b) an operator of an electronic system in relation to lending which facilitates a P2P agreement fails;(2) the procedure for, timing and tax consequences of:(a) withdrawing a P2P agreement from the innovative
(1) If, in relation to MiFID or equivalent third country business a per se professional client1 requests treatment as a retail client, the client will be classified as a retail client if it enters into a written agreement with the firm to the effect that it will not be treated as a professional client or eligible counterparty for the purposes of the applicable conduct of business regime.(2) This agreement must specify the scope of the re-categorisation, such as whether it applies
(1) In accordance with Principle 7 (communications with clients) if a firm at its own initiative re-categorises a client in accordance with this section, it should notify that client of its new category under this section.(2) If the firm already has an agreement with the client, it should also consider any contractual requirements concerning the amendment of that agreement.
The ways in which a client may be provided with additional protections under this section include re-categorisation:(1) on a general basis; or(2) on a trade by trade basis; or(3) in respect of one or more specified rules; or(4) in respect of one or more particular services or transactions; or(5) in respect of one or more types of product or transaction. [Note: second paragraph of article 30(2)1 of MiFID]
1A firm must provide a suitability report to a retail client if the firm makes a personal recommendation to the client and the client:(1) acquires a holding in, or sells all or part of a holding in:(a) a regulated collective investment scheme;(b) an investment trust where the relevant shares have been or are to be acquired through an investment trust savings scheme;(c) an investment trust where the relevant shares are to be held within an ISA which has been promoted as the means
The obligation to provide a suitability report does not apply:(1) if the firm, acting as an investment manager for a retail client, makes a personal recommendation relating to a regulated collective investment scheme;(2) if the client is habitually resident outside the EEA and the client is not present in the United Kingdom at the time of acknowledging consent to the proposal form to which the personal recommendation relates;(3) to any personal recommendation by a friendly society
A firm must provide the suitability report to the client:(1) in the case of a life policy, before the contract is concluded unless the necessary information is provided orally or immediate cover is necessary; or(2) in the case of a personal pension scheme or stakeholder pension scheme, where the rules on cancellation (COBS 15) require notification of the right to cancel, no later than the fourteenth day after the contract is concluded; or(3) in any other case, when or as soon
In the case of telephone selling of a life policy, when the only contact between a firm and its client before conclusion of a contract is by telephone, the suitability report must:(1) comply with the distance marketing disclosure rules (COBS 5.1);(2) be provided immediately after the conclusion of the contract; and(3) be in a durable medium.[Note: article 13(3) of the Insurance Mediation Directive]
The suitability report must, at least:(1) specify the client's demands and needs;(2) explain why the firm has concluded that the recommended transaction is suitable for the client having regard to the information provided by the client; and(3) explain any possible disadvantages of the transaction for the client.[Note: article 12(3) of the Insurance Mediation Directive]
If a firm is providing a suitability report in the course of insurance mediation activity, the information must be provided:(1) in a durable medium which is available and accessible to the client;(2) in a clear and accurate manner, comprehensible to the client; and(3) in an official language of the State of the commitment in which the contract of insurance is made or in any other language agreed by the parties.[Note: article 13 of the Insurance Mediation Directive]
When a firm is making a personal recommendation to a retail client about income withdrawals or purchase of short-term annuities or making uncrystallised funds pension lump sum payments,6 explanation of possible disadvantages in the suitability report should include the risk factors involved in entering into an income withdrawal, purchase of a short-term annuity or making uncrystallised funds pension lump sum payments6. These may include:(1) the capital value of the fund may be
(1) Prior to the conclusion of any initial life policy and, if necessary, on amendment or renewal, a firm must provide a client with at least the following information:(a) its name and address;(b) the fact that it is registered on the Financial Services Register and its Firm Reference Number3 (or, if it is not on the Financial Services Register, the register in which it has been included and the means for verifying that it has been registered);3(c) whether it has a direct or indirect
When a firm informs a client that it gives advice on the basis of a fair analysis of the market, it must give that advice on the basis of an analysis of a sufficiently large number of life policies available on the market to enable the firm to make a recommendation, in accordance with professional criteria, regarding which life policy would be adequate to meet the client's needs. [Note: article 12(2) of the Insurance Mediation Directive]
(1) Prior to the conclusion of any specific life policy, a firm must at least specify, in particular on the basis of the information provided by the client, the demands and needs of that client. Those demands and needs must be modulated according to the complexity of the relevant policy.(2) This rule does not apply when a firm makes a personal recommendation in relation to a life policy. [Note: article 12(3) of the Insurance Mediation Directive]
All information to be provided to a client in accordance with the rules in this chapter must be communicated:(1) in a durable medium available and accessible to the client;(2) in a clear and accurate manner, comprehensible to the client; and(3) in an official language of the State of the commitment or in any other language agreed by the parties. [Note: article 13(1) of the Insurance Mediation Directive]
In the case of telephone selling, the prior information given to a client must be in accordance with the distance marketing disclosure rules (COBS 5.1). Moreover, information must be provided to the client in accordance with the means of communication to clients rule (COBS 7.2.6 R) immediately after the conclusion of the life policy. [Note: article 13(3) of the Insurance Mediation Directive]
The information referred to in the means of communication to clients rule (COBS 7.2.6 R) may be provided orally where the client requests it, or where immediate cover is necessary. In those cases, the information must be provided to the client in accordance with that rule immediately after the conclusion of the life policy. [Note: article 13(2) of the Insurance Mediation Directive]
Under the territorial application rules in COBS 1, the rules in this section apply to:(1) a UK firm's business carried on from an establishment in an EEA State other than the United Kingdom for a retail client in the United Kingdom unless, if the office from which the activity is carried on were a separate person, the activity:(a) would fall within the overseas persons exclusion in article 72 of the Regulated Activities Order; or(b) would not be regarded as carried on in the United
(1) If a firm sells or arranges the sale of a packaged product to a retail client, and subsequently if the retail client requests it, the firm must disclose to the client in cash terms:2(a) any commission receivable by it or any of its associates in connection with the transaction; (b) if the firm is also the product provider, any commission or commission equivalent payable in connection with the transaction; and (c) if the firm or any of its associates is in the same immediate
3An indicative adviser charge is likely to be reasonably representative of the cost of the5 services associated with making the personal recommendation if:(1) the total5 expected5 costs associated with making a personal recommendation and distributing the pure protection contract will:5(a) be recovered through indicative adviser charges; and5(b) not be recovered by charges for, or profits from, other services (such as manufacturing and administering the pure protection contract);5(2)
(1) A firm must make the disclosure required by the rule on disclosure of commission or equivalent (COBS 6.4.3 R) as close as practicable to the time that it sells or arranges the sale of a packaged product.2(2) The firm must make the disclosure:(a) in a durable medium; or(b) when a retail client does not make a written application to enter into a transaction, orally. In these circumstances, the firm must give written confirmation as soon as possible after the date of the transaction,
(1) When determining the value of cash payments, benefits and services under the rule on disclosure of commission equivalent (COBS 6.4.3 R), a firm should follow the provisions of COBS 6 Annex 6.(2) Compliance with this evidential provision may be relied on as tending to establish compliance with COBS 6.4.3 R; and(3) Contravention of this evidential provision may be relied on as tending to establish contravention of COBS 6.4.3 R.
(1) If a firm (F) is aware that a person (C1) with or for whom it is providing services is acting as agent for another person (C2) in relation to those services, C1, and not C2, is the client of F in respect of that business.(2) Paragraph (1) does not apply if:(a) F has agreed with C1 in writing to treat C2 as its client; or(b) C1 is neither a firm nor an overseas financial services institution1 and the main purpose of the arrangements between the parties is the avoidance of duties
(1) This rule applies if a firm (F1), in the course of performing MiFID or equivalent third country business, receives an instruction to provide3 an investment or ancillary service on behalf of a client (C) through another firm (F2), if F2 is:(a) a MiFID investment firm or a third country investment firm; or(b) an investment firm that is:(i) a firm or authorised in another EEA State; and(ii) subject to equivalent relevant requirements.(2) F1 may rely upon:(a) any information about
(1) If F1 is required to perform a suitability assessment or an appropriateness assessment under COBS 9A3 or COBS 10A3, it may rely upon a suitability assessment performed by F2, if F2 was subject to the requirements for assessing suitability in COBS 9A3 (excluding the basic advicerules) or equivalent requirements in another EEA State in performing that assessment.(2) If F1 is required to perform an appropriateness assessment under COBS 10A3, it may rely upon an appropriateness
(1) This rule applies if the rule on reliance on other investment firms (COBS 2.4.4 R) does not apply.(2) A firm will be taken to be in compliance with any rule in this sourcebook that requires it to obtain information to the extent it can show it was reasonable for it to rely on information provided to it in writing by another person.
(1) In relying on COBS 2.4.6 R, a firm should take reasonable steps to establish that the other person providing written information is not connected with the firm and is competent to provide the information.(2) Compliance with (1) may be relied upon as tending to establish compliance with COBS 2.4.6 R.(3) Contravention of (1) may be relied upon as tending to establish contravention of COBS 2.4.6 R.
It will generally be reasonable (in accordance with COBS 2.4.6R (2)) for a firm to rely on information provided to it in writing by an unconnected authorised person or a professional firm, unless it is aware or ought reasonably to be aware of any fact that would give reasonable grounds to question the accuracy of that information.
(1) When providing a service to which this chapter applies, a firm must ask the client to provide information regarding his knowledge and experience in the investment field relevant to the specific type of product or service offered or demanded so as to enable the firm to assess whether the service or product envisaged is appropriate for the client.(2) When assessing appropriateness, a firm must determine whether the client has the necessary experience and knowledge in order to
The information regarding a client's knowledge and experience in the investment field includes, to the extent appropriate to the nature of the client, the nature and extent of the service to be provided and the type of product or transaction envisaged, including their complexity and the risks involved, information on:(1) the types of service, transaction and designated investment with which the client is familiar;(2) the nature, volume, frequency of the client's transactions in
If a firm is satisfied that the client has the necessary experience and knowledge in order to understand the risks involved in relation to the product or service, there is no duty to communicate this to the client. If the firm does so, it must not do so in a way that amounts to making a personal recommendation unless it complies with the rules in COBS 9 (Suitability (including basic advice) (non-MiFID provisions))2.