The Sexism in the City report highlights key issues affecting women in financial services and sets out a number of recommendations to address them.
On 8 March 2024, the House of Commons Treasury Committee published its...more
3/15/2024
/ Banking Sector ,
Diversity ,
Diversity and Inclusion Standards (D&I) ,
Employment Policies ,
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) ,
Financial Institutions ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Information Reports ,
Pay Equity Laws ,
Pay Gap ,
Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) ,
Sexual Harassment ,
UK
The European Parliament and the Council of the EU have made some significant changes to the European Commission’s proposal.
Key Points:
..The agreed text includes important clarifications on the scope of the regime and...more
Benchmark administrators should review the quality of their ESG benchmark disclosures ahead of a review by EU regulators during 2024.
On 13 December 2023, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), the EU’s...more
The FCA’s long-awaited regime seeks to raise standards, increase consumer understanding, and reduce instances of greenwashing.
On 28 November 2023, the FCA published its Policy Statement (PS23/16) containing final rules on...more
The changes will significantly modernise the regime and enhance consumer protections.
The EU has adopted a new Consumer Credit Directive, known as CCD2, which repeals and replaces the existing EU consumer credit regime...more
The proposal would substantially reduce the number of benchmarks in scope of the EU BMR.
On 17 October 2023, the European Commission published a legislative proposal that would significantly alter the benchmarks in scope...more
The FCA and the PRA have published their long-awaited consultations which aim to formalise how firms approach diversity and inclusion.
On 25 September 2023, the FCA and the PRA published separate but related consultation...more
10/2/2023
/ Compliance ,
Compliance Monitoring ,
Consultation ,
Corporate Governance ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Diversity ,
Diversity and Inclusion Standards (D&I) ,
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Proposed Regulation ,
Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) ,
UK ,
Willful Misconduct
The consultation considers what a potential regulatory regime would look like, and its proposed scope.
On 30 March 2023, HM Treasury published a consultation on regulating ESG ratings providers, which ties in with and...more
3/31/2023
/ Consultation ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) ,
Green Finance ,
HM Treasury ,
IOSCO ,
Rating Agencies ,
Rating System ,
Ratings ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
Third Country Entities (TCEs) ,
UK
The regulator is concerned that ESG-related disclosures are not meeting expectations.
The FCA has published a Dear CEO letter sent to benchmark administrators on 20 March 2023, expressing concerns about the quality of...more
A consultation that will remain open until 11 April 2023 offers further clarity on the proposals to regulate buy-now-pay-later products.
On 14 February 2023, HM Treasury published its consultation and accompanying draft...more
The letters ask senior management to prioritise implementing the Duty.
On 3 February 2023, the FCA published Dear CEO/Director letters underscoring the immediate (i.e., during the implementation period up until 31 July...more
2/7/2023
/ Consumer Credit Protection ,
Consumer Lenders ,
Dear CEO Letter ,
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) ,
Financial Institutions ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Insurance Industry ,
Investment Adviser ,
Mortgage Lenders ,
Senior Managers ,
UK
Latest FCA consultation focuses on remuneration, risk management and governance, and liquidity requirements.
Key Points:
The consultation:
..Sets out the FCA’s proposals for the new remuneration rules for FCA...more
4/21/2021
/ Consultation ,
Corporate Governance ,
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) ,
Investment Adviser ,
Investment Firms ,
Liquidity ,
MiFID ,
Prudential Standards ,
Remuneration ,
Risk Management ,
Senior Management Regime (SMR) ,
UCITS ,
UK
The PRA has released a largely positive report, along with nine follow-up actions and recommendations on the SMCR for PRA-regulated firms.
Key Points:
..There is no need for major changes to the SMCR.
..There are...more
Three delegated acts that supplement the EU Benchmarks Regulation will come into force on 23 December 2020.
The long-awaited delegated acts (Delegated Acts) required by Regulation (EU) 2019/2089 (the Low Carbon Benchmarks...more
The FCA, Bank of England, and PRA have published updated rules for firms post-Brexit and intend to delay many (but not all) onshoring changes.
Key Points:
..The FCA has published an updated version of the FCA Handbook,...more
10/20/2020
/ Bank of England ,
Cross-Border Transactions ,
Dear CEO Letter ,
EU ,
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Onshoring ,
Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) ,
Time Extensions ,
Transitional Arrangements ,
UK ,
UK Brexit
ESMA advises the European Commission to consider some, but not all, of ESMA’s original proposals — and gives guidance on pre-hedging and market soundings along the way.
Key Points:
..Pre-hedging / front running: ESMA...more
Many of the wide-ranging amendments address the perceived barriers MiFID II introduced in capital markets and are likely to be welcomed by industry.
Key Points:
..The amendments aim to remove administrative burdens that...more
The proposals enhance the FCA’s powers to ensure an orderly wind-down of critical benchmarks and to deal with “tough legacy” contracts that cannot transition from LIBOR.
On 23 June 2020, the FCA published a statement...more
Important changes ahead for investment firms as the FCA’s Discussion Paper (DP20/2) indicates that the UK may depart from EU capital rules.
Key Points:
..FCA consults on a UK capital regime that in some respects breaks...more
Latest Dear CEO letter from the regulator includes strong criticism and warns that firms need to improve to meet regulatory expectations.
Key Points:
..FCA supervisory work during the next two years will focus on four...more
4/30/2019
/ Brokers ,
Conflicts of Interest ,
Corporate Governance ,
Dear CEO Letter ,
Executive Compensation ,
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) ,
Internal Controls ,
Market Abuse ,
Strategic Enforcement Plan ,
UK ,
Wholesale
The FCA has issued feedback from its review of firms’ costs and charges disclosures under MiFID II.
Key Points:
..The FCA found that, despite firms being aware of the rules and taking compliance seriously, firms are not...more
The FCA outlines how it intends to use its temporary transitional powers in a no-deal scenario.
Key Points:
..The FCA has highlighted areas in which transitional relief will not be granted in a no-deal...more
ESMA and the EBA publish documents considering the application of the EU regulatory regime to crypto-assets and ICOs.
Key Points:
..ESMA highlights the importance of taking a technology-neutral approach to regulation,...more
The FCA seeks to clarify the position of the Head of Legal and the scope of the Client Dealing Function.
Key Points:
..The FCA is proposing to exclude the Head of Legal from the scope of the Senior Managers...more
HM Treasury has published draft legislation that will allow the UK to make timely equivalence decisions in relation to the EU.
Key Points:
..Post-Brexit, HM Treasury will take on the role of making equivalence decisions...more
1/22/2019
/ Capital Requirements Regulation (CRR) ,
Credit Rating Agencies ,
EMIR ,
EU ,
EU Benchmark Regulation ,
EU Prospectus Regime ,
European Economic Area (EEA) ,
Financial Services Industry ,
HM Treasury ,
MiFIR ,
Onshoring ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Short Selling ,
Solvency II ,
UK ,
UK Brexit