Working paper a single market in financial services
Download 0.68 Mb.
|
- Navigate this page:
- 1. Effects
UCITSUndertakings for collective investment in transferable securities - UCITS - covered by European legislation, are harmonised investment funds, open-ended, publicly sold undertakings investing in transferable securities according to the principle of risk-spreading. UCITS have a manager, a pool of assets and a depository. The latter has a safe-keeping function towards the unit trust's assets. UCITS may be constituted according to the core Directive 85/611/EEC, under:
With the adoption of the UCITS Directive in 1985 the first step was taken towards the co-ordination and regulation of collective investment undertakings, even if only for a part of them. The main aim was to ensure a high level of protection for investors at Community level and to provide flexibility in the legislation. The latter was achieved through the introduction of the principle of mutual recognition to permit the marketing of UCITS's units in every Member State without further authorisation of the host country. It aligned the procedure to that concerning the cross-border provision of services. What was missing was a common approach in order to cover all kind of collective investment undertakings and to have flexible legislation, which could adapt to the changing environment. Laws from different Member States differ consistently from one state to the other, particularly with regard to the control and supervision imposed. As a result, they distort the competition between undertakings and equivalence in the protection of unit holders. The UCITS's Directive focused essentially on the "product", while the regulation in terms of "management companies" was lacking. No harmonised market access rules were present such as the initial minimum capital requirements, and no detailed prudential framework. The cross-border activity also lacked a regulation. The marketing possibilities of the units have not been contemplated such as the establishment of branches or the provision of services abroad. The core Directive has been amended twice: by 88/220/EEC, introducing mortgage credit bonds and by 95/26/EC with a view to reinforcing prudential supervision. The aim was to provide the possibility of exchanges of information between the competent authorities in all Member States. The Commission has prepared a package of measures in two further proposals adopted on May 2000, the provisions of which should enter into force no later than 31 December 2002. The first proposal43 focuses on the "product" in terms of the type of investment funds covered by the legislation44. It extends the range of financial assets in which collective investment undertakings are allowed to invest in. Its objective is to remove the barriers to the cross-border marketing of units of collective investment undertakings. Several measures are involved:
Taking into account the current rapid developments on financial markets, it has been desirable to widen the investment product range in which undertakings may be allowed to invest. Financial assets45, other than transferable securities and OTC derivatives46, which are sufficient liquid, have been included as eligible investment instruments. Prudential aspects are covered through the definition of a consistent set of provisions, which include a limited ceiling for investments in OTC derivatives. The major issue is the risk involved in these instruments, especially in terms of:
The proposals therefore outline the conditions under which financial derivatives may be used, and how to determine their daily value in a precise way. Derivatives have to be available for sale and liquidation on a daily basis. Because OTC derivatives are now fully defined as eligible investment instruments, the distinction between assets contained in the investment portfolios of undertakings for different purposes47, as "general investment purposes", "hedging purpose" and "purpose of efficient portfolio management" has been cancelled. The new disclosure rules of the fund's risk-profile that have to be contained in the documents distributed to the customers, are intended to cover the possible higher volatility of UCITS assets due to the inclusion of derivatives. Even if one of the major objectives is to avoid unnecessary entry barriers, especially due to initial capital requirements, the inclusion of OCT derivatives in portfolios as eligible instruments has increased the necessity for higher capital requirements. It has been raised from the initial € 50,000 level to € 125,000 for management companies, which cover activities of individual and collective portfolio management. Allowing investments in derivatives has the effect of raising the potential volatility of the funds return on one hand, but has also the effect of reducing the risk-aversion of investors. Enhancing the information given to the funds participants, the investors can acknowledge by direct experience the negative as well as the positive outcomes of a more risky investment strategy and gain confidence within a more risky environment. Reducing risk-adverse behaviour is part of a wider concept of fostering an increasing equity culture in the Community, which is indirectly linked to further job potentialities in the economy. The second proposal48 focuses on the "services provider" in terms of rules governing the management company of investment funds. The aim is to reinforce the single market in the field of UCITS and to update the supervision framework through:
The documents provided to the public and to the competent authorities, have to underline the investment limits imposed on derivatives operations and underline the risk involved in those operations. The simplified prospectus is a mandatory information document to be offered to the investors before the conclusion of the contract. It has to be translated in the official language of the host Member State. The distribution of the full version won't be mandatory. The aim of the introduction of a simplified prospectus, in addition to the complete one already in existence, is to provide the more exhaustive information to the potential investors in all the Union. The key concept is to gain the maximum harmonisation of this prospectus through the different Member States. UCITS that choose a specialised investment policy should avoid an excessive concentration in liquid assets issued by the same body. The limit of investment in assets of a single issuer has been therefore lowered and has been extended for debt securities. Excessive concentration especially in deposits with the single credit institution should be avoided. Concerns have been expressed in terms of liquidity and counter-party risk of this instrument. Even the replication of the composition of a certain stock-or debt securities index has to reflect a high diversification level and be adequately published. The limits51 for investments of harmonised funds in the units of non-harmonised funds have been increased and qualitative limits have been introduced. This position has the aim of preventing opaque cross-investment of UCITS in other undertakings, especially in order to avoid the insurgence of cascades of funds. For that reason the proportion of cross-investments has to be monitored also on a daily basis. 1. EffectsCollective investment undertakings where investors' money is placed by specialists in a diverse range of assets according to defined risk criteria, can offer investors without a specialist knowledge a mean of investing in specialised market. They represent currently more than 20% of EU GDP and is therefore important to ensure investors protection without penalising their development potentialities. Collective investment undertakings are a vehicle to channel savings into productive investments. Especially in periods with low interest rate trends, these vehicles are an increasing popular alternative for tradition investments in public sector bonds. The direct effect of the measures updated is to widen the range of products that can be offered to the investors52, and on the other side, through the provision of the European Passport, to accelerate the process of desintermediation of financial services. This means that intermediation on financial services will be managed more and more through institutional investors rather than by credit institution as conventionally done. The effect is a change in the liability structure of credit institutions53. The consideration that a wider range of investment products has been allowed and that units can be marketed easier cross-border will increase in the long run the competition environment between management companies. As result the price determination in relation to the quality of these products will be improved. Wider investment possibilities permitted by the amended Directive will contribute to sustain the growth trend in the financial sector linked to the merger wave which has already gave a growing input to the sector. It will give the possibility to create more liquid and deeper financial markets in the European union even if the volatility of the units of collective investment undertakings will probably increase due to the permission to invest in OTC derivatives. By contrast this provision will increase on average the return of investors which will boost new investments, partly in financial assets and partly in direct investment in the real economy. Indirect effect will be gained for employment figures. The updating of the rules for management companies and of the information required for investors increases the competitiveness of the management companies among the financial operators as banks, insurance companies or investment firms together with the reinforcement of the supervision framework and the level of investor protection. The modification has introduced therefore harmonised and partly automatic authorisation procedures for management companies, a wider regulation for the provision of services and the opening of branches in other Member States and covers the rules for a stricter co-operation network between the competent authorities in the different states. The introduction of the European Passport in order to allow the freedom to provide services in the Union and the allowance to set up brunches abroad sets the milestone. It will permit an expansion of the business cross-border and increase the international competition. Minimum standard rules have the aim to increase the prudential framework provided for investors and the public in general and to increase the transparency for the supervision competent authorities. The most important ones regard:
The provision of a minimum level of investor protection ensures higher cross-border marketing of the units. Especially requirements for increased transparency on the investment risk profile adopted and of the information provided will increase the attractiveness of investments in UCITS's units and will boost the growth of equities in this sector. It will create an alternative supply of capital formation, which may represent an alternative source for venture capitalist and will boost employment figures. The fact that it will be allowed to manage individual portfolios and even pension funds will enable this sector to improve dynamically due to more diversification possibilities. It will among this have a direct effect on the competition within the pension funds sector. Concentration of investments in assets issued by a single institution increases the insolvency risk even if it can be differentiated which type of security should be invested in. The fact that an investor could conclude different contracts other than deposits as equities, debt securities or derivative contracts does not reduce the exposure to insolvency risk of the investors. It is necessary to guarantee the internal overview of collective undertakings linked with external supervision control mechanisms. "By virtue of mutual recognition, management companies authorised in their home Member States shall be permitted to carry on the services for which they have received authorisation throughout the European Union by establishing branches or under the freedom to provide services.54" In accordance with the principle of the home country control only the Member State in which the undertaking has its registered office is competent for the approval of the fund rules and for the prudential supervision of management companies. Every Member State has the right to establish stricter rules compared with the one of the directive, especially with regard to the authorisation conditions of these undertakings and in terms of the prudential framework required. Harmonised rules for a compensation mechanism should be introduced to guarantee a minimum redress to unit holders in case the undertaking is unable to fulfil its obligation to its investors.
Directory: RegData -> etudes -> document travail RegData -> European commission brussels, XXX RegData -> The european commission RegData -> Provisional agreement resulting from interinstitutional negotiations document travail -> European parliament working paper Download 0.68 Mb. Share with your friends:
|