Related provisions for MCOB 3A.1.10

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COBS 4.6.1RRP
(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
COBS 4.6.4GRP
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
COBS 4.6.7RRP
(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)
CONC 2.5A.7GRP
(1) The information displayed on the price comparison website (for example, information concerning a loan, the results of a search or claims about the market coverage of the website) will need to comply with the financial promotion rules in CONC 3. In particular, it will need to comply with the requirement for a communication or a financial promotion to be clear, fair and not misleading. The results of a search also need to comply with the detailed rules in CONC 3.5. In particular,
CONC 2.5A.8RRP
A firm must not display a financial promotion, other than the result of a search, in or between the results of a search.
CONC 2.5A.9RRP
A firm must ensure that the results of a search are clearly distinguishable from any other financial promotion.
PERG 8.36.1GRP
This flowchart sets out the matters which a person will need to consider to see if the restriction in section 21 of the Act applies to his communications. It is referred to in PERG 8.2.5 G.6
PERG 8.36.5GRP
This table identifies the types of financial promotion to which each exemption in the Financial Promotions Order applies. It is referred to in PERG 8.11.2 G and PERG 8.14.1 G.
PERG 8.36.6GRP

Table Application of Exemptions to Forms of Promotions

Financial Promotion Order

Applies to

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)

*

*

*

12

12

12

12

12

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

*

*

12

12

12

12

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

2 for the purpose of article 16 (2) only

3 for the purpose of article 16 (1) only1
PERG 8.17-A.1GRP
Section 21 of the Act applies to financial promotions in relation to relevant consumer credit and consumer hire. This section sets out guidance about such financial promotions.
PERG 8.17-A.9GRP
Financial promotions about relevant consumer credit or consumer hire are subject to the exemptions in Part IV of the Financial Promotion Order (Exempt communications: all controlled activities). A number of the exemptions in Part VI of the Financial Promotion Order (Exempt communications: certain controlled activities) also apply. Guidance on some of these (which apply to financial promotions about both qualifying credit and relevant consumer credit) is given in PERG 8.17.10 G
PERG 8.17-A.10GRP
(1) Article 46A of the Financial Promotion Order exempts a communication which relates to the controlled activities of operating an electronic system in relation to lending, providing relevant consumer credit or providing consumer hire. (2) This exemption applies only if the communication: (a) indicates clearly that a person is willing to engage in the investment activity for the purposes of another person's business; and (b) does not indicate (by express words or otherwise) that
COBS 4.11.1RRP
(1) A firm must make an adequate record of any financial promotion it communicates or approves, other than a financial promotion made in the course of a personal visit, telephone conversation or other interactive dialogue.(2) For a telemarketing campaign, a firm must make an adequate record of copies of any scripts used.(2A) If a firmcommunicates or approves an invitation or inducement to participate in, acquire, or underwrite a non-mainstream pooled investment which is addressed
COBS 4.11.2GRP
A firm should consider maintaining a record of why it is satisfied that the financial promotion complies with the financial promotion rules.
COBS 4.11.3GRP
If the financial promotion includes market information that is updated continuously in line with the relevant market, the record-keeping rules do not require a firm to record that information.
PERG 8.5.1GRP
Under section 21(4) of the Act, the Treasury has the power to specify circumstances in which a person is viewed as ‘acting in the course of business’ or ‘not acting in the course of business’. The power under section 21(4) relates only to financial promotions and is distinct from the power in section 419 which relates to regulated activities. To date, the Treasury has not used the power in section 21(4). As a result, the phrase has its ordinary or natural meaning.
PERG 8.5.4GRP
There is, of course, no reason why an individual cannot act ‘in the course of business’. For example, sole traders who are independent financial advisers will give investment advice ‘in the course of business’ and so satisfy the test. Individuals who are merely seeking to make personal investments will not be acting ‘in the course of business’ by approaching a company about making an investment in its shares. However, it is possible that an individual who regularly seeks to invest
PERG 8.5.5GRP
Persons who carry on a business which is not a regulated activity will need to be particularly careful in making communications which may amount to financial promotions (because they seek to persuade or incite persons to engage in investment activity (see PERG 8.4)). For example, where a company makes financial promotions to its employees, they may well be made in the course of business. Examples of these include financial promotions concerning employee share schemes, group wide
COBS 4.5.1RRP
(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
COBS 4.5.7RRP
(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.
COBS 4.5.8RRP
(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.
PERG 4.17.15GRP
Article 17 of the 2013 Order has the effect that the controlled activity of providing relevant consumer credit for the purposes of the financial promotion regime does not include regulated mortgage contracts. 11
PERG 4.17.16GRP
For more detailed guidance concerning the application of1 the financial promotion regime to qualifying credit and relevant consumer credit1, see PERG 8.17.17 G.11
CONC 3.8.1RRP
This section applies to a financial promotion or a communication with a customer in relation to consumer credit lending.
CONC 3.8.2RRP
A firm must not in a financial promotion or a communication with a customer:(1) provide an application for credit with a pre-completed amount of credit which is not based on having carried out a creditworthiness assessment (see CONC 5.2A)2; or[Note: paragraph 5.3 of ILG](2) state or imply1 that providing credit is dependent solely upon the value of the equity in property on which the agreement is to be secured; or[Note: paragraph 5.4 of ILG](3) promote credit where the firm knows,
MCOB 2.1.2RRP

This table belongs to MCOB 2.1.1 R

(1) Category of firm

(2) Applicable section

mortgage lender

5

whole chapter except 5MCOB 2.6A.1 R to MCOB 2.6A.18 G5 and MCOB 2.8.6 G1

6

5mortgage administrator

mortgage adviser

mortgage arranger

As for a mortgage lender, except that MCOB 2.6A.-1 R does not apply.

1home purchase provider

MCOB 2.1,, MCOB 2.5 to5MCOB 2.6, MCOB 2.6A.1 R to MCOB 2.6A.4 G, MCOB 2.6A.7 G to MCOB 2.6A.10 G, MCOB 2.7.4 R to MCOB 2.7.6 R, MCOB 2.7A2, 7MCOB 2.8.6 G and MCOB 2.97

65

1home purchase administrator

As for a home purchase provider but MCOB 2.6A.1 R to MCOB 2.6A.4 G and MCOB 2.6A.7 G do not apply

1home purchase adviser

home purchase arranger

As for a home purchase provider but MCOB 2.6A does not apply

1reversion provider

whole chapter except MCOB 2.6A.7 G, MCOB 2.7.4 R to MCOB 2.7.6 R and MCOB 2.8.6 G

6

1reversion administrator

reversion arranger

As for a reversion provider but the relevant provisions of MCOB 2.6A apply only when arranging for a home reversion plan to be entered into by a reversion occupier with, or administering a home reversion plan provided by, an unauthorised reversion provider.

1reversion adviser

As for a reversion provider but MCOB 2.6A does not apply

4SRB administrator

MCOB 2.1, MCOB 2.5 to5MCOB 2.6, MCOB 2.6A.5BR (5), MCOB 2.6A.8 R to MCOB 2.6A.11 G, MCOB 2.6A.17A R, MCOB 2.6A.18 G, MCOB 2.7.1 G to MCOB 2.7.5 R, MCOB 2.7A, MCOB 2.8.1 G to MCOB 2.8.5 G and MCOB 2.97.

65

3SRB adviser

Whole chapter except MCOB 2.6A.5 R, MCOB 2.6A.7 G, MCOB 2.6A.17 R and MCOB 2.8.6 G.4

46

3SRB agreement provider

Whole chapter except MCOB 2.6A.5 R, MCOB 2.6A.7 G, MCOB 2.6A.17 R, MCOB 2.6A.17A R, MCOB 2.6A.18 G and MCOB 2.8.6 G.4

46

4SRB arranger

Whole chapter except MCOB 2.6A.5 R, MCOB 2.6A.7 G, MCOB 2.6A.17 R and MCOB 2.8.6 G.4

6

a firm that communicates or approves a financial promotion of qualifying credit or of a home reversion plan1

1

MCOB 2.5, MCOB 2.6, MCOB 2.7 (except, when the financial promotion relates to a home reversion plan, MCOB 2.7.4 R to MCOB 2.7.6 R), MCOB 2.7A2,7MCOB 2.8 (except MCOB 2.8.6 G)1 and MCOB 2.97

1a firm that communicates or approves a financial promotion of a home purchase plan

MCOB 2.5, MCOB 2.6, MCOB 2.7, MCOB 2.7A2,7MCOB 2.8.6 G and MCOB 2.97

6
MCOB 2.1.3RRP
This chapter applies in relation to:(1) home finance activities;11(1A) to4 the extent specified in MCOB 2.1.2 R, regulated sale and rent back activity;34(2) those activities in MCOB 12 and MCOB 13 that are carried on after a regulated mortgage contract or home purchase plan1 has come to an end following the sale of a repossessed property, and those activities in MCOB 12 that are carried on after a home reversion plan has ended for any reason1; and(3) the communication or approval
MCOB 3A.5.1RRP
(1) 1When communicating or approving a financial promotion concerning an MCD regulated mortgage contract which indicates an interest rate or any figures relating to the cost of the credit to the consumer, a firm must ensure that the financial promotion includes standard information which specifies in a clear, concise and prominent way:(a) the identity of the MCD creditor or, where applicable, the MCD mortgage credit intermediary2 or appointed representative;(b) where applicable,
MCOB 3A.5.2GRP
Inclusion of a representative example, where required, does not preclude the inclusion of additional cost information, relating to individual products or types of product, subject to this being fair, clear and not misleading. For example, a firm may wish to include a table setting out details of a number of products, for comparative purposes, with the required overall representative example stated (being representative of all agreements expected to result from the financial promotion,
ICOBS 1.1.1RRP
1This sourcebook applies to a firm with respect to the following activities carried on in relation to a non-investment insurance contract from an establishment maintained by it, or its appointed representative, in the United Kingdom:(1) an insurance distribution activity2;(2) effecting and carrying out contracts of insurance;(3) managing the underwriting capacity of a Lloyd's syndicate as a managing agent at Lloyd's;(4) communicating or approving a financial promotion;and activities
ICOBS 1.1.4GRP
Guidance on the application provisions is in ICOBS 1 Annex 1 (Part 4).
PERG 5.12.2GRP
Even if a person concludes that he is not carrying on a regulated activity in the United Kingdom, he will need to ensure that he does not contravene other provisions of the Act that apply to unauthorised persons. These include the controls on financial promotion (section 21 (Financial promotion) of the Act) (see PERG 8 (Financial promotion and related activities)), and on giving the impression that a person is authorised (section 24 (False claims to be authorised or exempt)).
PERG 5.12.9GRP
Article 72 of the Regulated Activities Order (Overseas persons) provides a potential exclusion for persons with no permanent place of business in the United Kingdom from which regulated activities are conducted or offers to conduct regulated activities are made. Where these persons carry on insurance distribution activities5 in the United Kingdom, they may be able to take advantage of the exclusions in article 72 of the Regulated Activities Order. In general terms, these apply
PERG 8.23.2GRP
Anyone who is carrying on a regulated activity is likely to make financial promotions in the course of or for the purposes of carrying on that activity. It is beyond the scope of this guidance to cover regulated activities as such (for a general guide see PERG 2). There are circumstances, however, where persons whose main aim is either:(1) to make financial promotions for their own purposes or on behalf of others; or(2) to help other persons to make financial promotions;may find
PERG 8.23.3GRP
The regulated activities which are likely to be conducted in the circumstances referred to in PERG 8.23.2 G are:(1) giving advice on certain investments (articles 53 (Advising on investments), 53A (Advising on regulated mortgage contracts), 53B (Advising on regulated home reversion plans), 53C (Advising on regulated home purchase plans), 53D (Advising on regulated sale and rent back agreements)2 and 56 (Advice on syndicate participation at Lloyd’s) of the Regulated Activities
COBS 3.2.1RRP
(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.4(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
COBS 3.2.2GRP
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
MCOB 3A.2.4RRP
(1) A firmcommunicating or approving a non-real time financial promotion of qualifying credit other than in (2), for a home reversion plan or a regulated sale and rent back agreement must be able to show that it has taken reasonable steps to ensure that the non-real time financial promotion is fair, clear and not misleading. (2) A firmcommunicating a financial promotion, or approving a non-real time financial promotion in relation to an MCD regulated mortgage contract must ensure
MCOB 3A.2.5RRP
A firm which approves a financial promotion of a home purchase plan must take reasonable steps to ensure that the financial promotion is fair, clear and not misleading.
PERG 8.37.1GRP
(1) 1Part 6 (Marketing) of the AIFMD UK regulation contains restrictions on an AIFM or an investment firmmarketing an AIF. Such a person may not market an AIF in the UK or Gibraltar2 unless the relevant conditions set out in the AIFMD UK regulation are met.(2) The purpose of this section is to give guidance on: (a) the restrictions on an AIFM or investment firmmarketing an AIF (PERG 8.37.2 G and PERG 8.37.3 G);(b) the circumstances in which an AIFM or an investment firmmarkets
PERG 8.37.6GRP
(1) Under the UK provisions which implemented2 article 31 AIFMD, an AIFM is required to submit the documentation and information set out in the law that implemented2 Annex III to AIFMD with its application for permission to market an AIF managed by it and to notify the FCA2 of any material changes to this documentation and information. Therefore, the prescribed documentation and information should be in materially final form before the AIFM may apply for permission to market an
PERG 8.37.14GRP
(1) Regulation 46 (Application of the financial promotion and scheme promotion restrictions) provides that where a person may market an AIF under regulation 49, 50 or 51:(a) to the extent that such marketing falls within section 21(1) (restrictions on financial promotion) or 238(1) (restrictions on promotion) of the Act, the person may market the AIF to a retail client only if the person does so without breaching the restriction in that section; and(b) to the extent that any activity
COBS 19.2.1GRP
A financial promotion for1 a 1FSAVC should contain a prominent warning that, as an alternative1 an AVC arrangement 1exists, and that details can be obtained from the scheme administrator (if that is the case).1
COBS 19.2.3RRP
When a firm promotes a personal pension scheme, including a group personal pension scheme, to a group of employees it must:(1) be satisfied on reasonable grounds that the scheme is likely to be at least as suitable for the majority of the employees as a stakeholder pension scheme; and(2) record why it thinks the promotion is justified.
COBS 4.12.4RRP
  1. (1)

    3The restriction in COBS 4.12.3 R does not apply if the promotion falls within an exemption in the table in (5) below in accordance with (3)13.

  2. (2)

    A firm13 may communicate an invitation or inducement to participate in an unregulated collective investment scheme without breaching the restriction on promotion in section 238 of the Act if the promotion falls within an exemption in the table in (5) below in accordance with (3)13.

  3. (3)

    A promotion falls within an exemption in the table in (5) below if13:

    1. (a)

      it is made to or directed at only those recipients whom the firm has taken reasonable steps to establish are persons in the middle column of the table; and13

    2. (b)

      where the third column of the table refers to the need for a preliminary assessment of suitability, that assessment is undertaken before the promotion is made to or directed at the recipient13.

  4. (4)

    A firm may rely on more than one exemption in relation to the same invitation or inducement.

  5. (5)

    Title of Exemption

    Promotion to:

    Promotion of a non-mainstream pooled investment which is:

    1. Replacement products and rights issues

    A person who already participates in, owns, holds rights to or interests in, a non-mainstream pooled investment that is being liquidated or wound down or which is undergoing a rights issue. [See Note 1.]

    1. A non-mainstream pooled investment which is intended by the operator or manager to absorb or take over the assets of that non-mainstream pooled investment, or which is being offered by the operator or manager of that non-mainstream pooled investment as an alternative to cash on its liquidation;

    or

    2. Securities offered by the existing non-mainstream pooled investment as part of a rights issue.

    2. Certified high net worth investors

    An individual6 who meets the requirements set out in COBS 4.12.6 R, or a person (or persons) legally empowered to make investment decisions on behalf of such individual6.

    Any non-mainstream pooled investment the firm considers is likely to be suitable for that individual6, based on a preliminary assessment of the client's profile and objectives.

    [See COBS 4.12.5G (2).]

    3. Enterprise and charitable funds

    A person who is eligible to participate or invest in an arrangement constituted under:

    (1) the Church Funds Investment Measure 1958;

    (2) section 96 5or 100 of the Charities Act 2011;

    (3) section 25 of the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 1964;

    (4) the Regulation on European Venture Capital Funds (‘EuVECAs’) or the RVECA Regulation (‘RVECAs’)1112; or

    (5) the Regulation on European Social Entrepreneurship Funds (‘EuSEFs’) or the SEF Regulation (‘SEFs’)1112.

    Any non-mainstream pooled investment which is such an arrangement.

    4. Eligible employees

    An eligible employee, that is, a person who is:

    (1) an officer;

    (2) an employee;

    (3) a former officer or employee; or

    (4) a member of the immediate family of any of (1) - (3), of an employer which is (or is in the same group as) the firm, or which has accepted responsibility for the activities of the firm in carrying out the designated investment business in question.

    1. A non-mainstream pooled investment, the instrument constituting which:

    A. restricts the property of the non-mainstream pooled investment, apart from cash and near cash, to:

    (1) (where the employer is a company) shares in and debentures of the company or any other connected company; [See Note 2.]

    (2) (in any case), any property, provided that the non-mainstream pooled investment takes the form of:

    (i) a limited partnership, under the terms of which the employer (or connected company) will be the unlimited partner and the eligible employees will be some or all of the limited partners; or

    (ii) a trust which the firm reasonably believes not to contain any risk that any eligible employee may be liable to make any further payments (other than charges) for investment transactions earlier entered into, which the eligible employee was not aware of at the time he entered into them; and

    B. (in a case falling within A(1) above) restricts participation in the non-mainstream pooled investment to eligible employees, the employer and any connected company.

    2. Any non-mainstream pooled investment, provided that the participation of eligible employees is to facilitate their co-investment:

    (i) with one or more companies in the same group as their employer (which may include the employer); or

    (ii) with one or more clients of such a company.

    5. Members of the Society of Lloyd’s

    A person admitted to membership of the Society of Lloyd's or any person by law entitled or bound to administer his affairs.

    A scheme in the form of a limited partnership which is established for the sole purpose of underwriting insurance business at Lloyd's.

    6. Exempt persons

    An exempt person (other than a person exempted only by section 39 of the Act (Exemption of appointed representatives)) if the financial promotion relates to a regulated activity in respect of which the person is exempt from the general prohibition.

    Any non-mainstream pooled investment.

    7. Non-retail clients

    An eligible counterparty or a professional client.

    Any non-mainstream pooled investment in relation to which the client is categorised as a professional client or eligible counterparty.

    [See Note 4.]

    8. Certified sophisticated investors

    An individual6 who meets the requirements set out in COBS 4.12.7 R, including an individual who is legally empowered (solely or jointly with others) to make investment decisions on behalf of another person who is the firm'sclient6.

    Any non-mainstream pooled investment.

    9. Self-certified sophisticated investors

    An individual6 who meets the requirements set out in COBS 4.12.8 R, including an individual who is legally empowered (solely or jointly with others) to make investment decisions on behalf of another person who is the firm'sclient6.

    Any non-mainstream pooled investment the firm considers is likely to be suitable for that client, based on a preliminary assessment of the client's profile and objectives.

    [See COBS 4.12.5G (2)]

    10. Solicited advice

    Any person.

    Any non-mainstream pooled investment, provided the communication meets all of the following requirements:

    (a) the communication only amounts to a financial promotion because it is a personal recommendation on a non-mainstream pooled investment;

    (b) the personal recommendation is made following a specific request by that client for advice on the merits of investing in the non-mainstream pooled investment; and

    (c) the client has not previously received a financial promotion or any other communication from the firm (or from a person connected to the firm) which is intended to influence the client in relation to that non-mainstream pooled investment. [See Note 3.]

    11. Excluded communications

    Any person.

    Any non-mainstream pooled investment, provided the financial promotion is an excluded communication.[See COBS 4.12.12G, COBS 4.12.13G and COBS 4.12.13AG14.]

    12. [deleted]11

    13. US persons

    A person who is classified as a United States person for tax purposes under United States legislation or who owns a US qualified retirement plan.

    Any investment company registered and operated in the United States under the Investment Company Act 1940.

    The following Notes explain certain words and phrases used in the table above.

    Note 1

    Promotion of non-mainstream pooled investments to a category of person includes any nominee company acting for such a person.

    Note 2

    A company is 'connected' with another company if:

    • they are both in the same group; or
    • one company is entitled, either alone or with another company in the same group, to exercise or control the exercise of a majority of the voting rights attributable to the share capital, which are exercisable in all circumstances at any general meeting of the other company or of its holding company.

    Note 3

    A person is connected with a firm if it acts as an introducer or appointed representative for that firm or if it is any other person, regardless of authorisation status, who has a relevant business relationship with the firm.

    Note 4

    In deciding whether a promotion is permitted under the rules of this section or under section 238 of the Act, firms may use the client categorisation regime that applies to business other than MiFID or equivalent third country business. (This is the case even if the firm will be carrying on a MiFID activity at the same time as or following the promotion.)
COBS 4.12.12GRP
(1) 3A firm which wishes to rely on one of the one-off promotion exemptions provided by the Promotion of Collective Investment Schemes or the Financial Promotion Order to promote a non-mainstream pooled investment to a retail client should have regard to its duties under the Principles and the client's best interests rule. In particular, the firm should consider whether the promotion of the non-mainstream pooled investment is in the interests of the client and whether it is fair
COBS 4.12.13GRP
(1) 3A firm which wishes to rely on the excluded communications exemption in COBS 4.12.4R (5) to promote units in a qualified investor scheme to a retail client should have regard to its duties under the Principles and the client's best interests rule. (2) As explained in COLL 8.1, qualified investor schemes are intended only for professional clients and retail clients who are sophisticated investors. Firms should note that, in the FCA's view, promotion of units in a qualified