Insights

The Central Bank of Ireland (CBI) released a letter highlighting the main findings of its work on asset valuation, which sets out its expectations to be adopted by all firms to mitigate the issues identified in Irish Fund Management Companies (Firms). This report sets out ESMA’s analysis and conclusions on its January 2022 Common Supervisory Action (CSA) exercise and presents ESMA’s views on the findings.

The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has produced draft rules for overseas funds being distributed to UK investors. These rules are being put in place for funds from jurisdictions where the UK Government has issued an ’Equivalence’ decision. Read this article to find out more about the new requirements.

In response to the fast growth of the payment services market, the European Commission issued a Revised Payments Legislative Package. This seeks to ensure the EU’s financial sector is fit for purpose and capable of adapting to the ongoing digital transformation, and the risks and opportunities it presents – in particular for consumers.

Counterparty credit risk was identified as a supervisory priority by the ECB for 2022 - 2024, as banks had been increasingly offering capital market services to riskier, leveraged and less transparent counterparties, in particular with non-bank financial institutions (NBFIs), at a time when the interest rate environment was low.

Findings from the CBI’s thematic assessment across a sample of MiFID firms, considering the approach taken by Boards and Senior Management, to foster and embed an effective conduct-focused culture.

The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (“CSRD”) introduces detailed reporting requirements on companies’ impact on the environment, human rights and social standards.

As a result of recent amendments to the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing) Act 2010 to 2021, Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs) are now “designated persons” and are required to comply with the relevant Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) obligations.

The Central Bank of Ireland (“CBI”) set out their findings and expectations for Payment and E-Money firms in its “Dear CEO” letter published January 20, 2023. Rather than issuance of specific additional or “new” expectations, it is a re-affirmation of the out regulatory expectations of authorised Payment and E-Money institutions already set out in the December 2021 letter in the same vein. A year on from that letter, it is clear that the CBI believes the industry has a lot more to do.

In line with the EU’s ‘Financing Sustainable Growth’ Action Plan 2018, the European Commission adopted a number of delegated acts which will impact (re)insurance undertakings and insurance distributors. These changes will apply from 2 August 2022.