SECA Breakfast Event: Regulatory Update for Corporate Finance Advisors & Asset Managers

Transcription

1 SECA Breakfast Event: Regulatory Update for Corporate Finance Advisors & Asset Managers 6 November 2015 Günther Dobrauz und Martin Liebi Legal FS Regulatory & Compliance

2 Agenda Hot News Market Abuse Regulation FinfraG Capital Market Union Q&A

3 Market Abuse Regulation January

4 Main changes Significant changes SignificantchangestotheEuropeanlawsonmarketabuseareduetocomeintoeffect on July On implementation, the new measures will replace the four current European directives on market abuse. Pan-European criminal regime A new European Market Abuse Directive(MAD 2) introduces a pan-european criminal regime for«serious cases» of market abuse. Market soundings MAR creates a new regime relating to the taking of market soundings. This will be highly relevant to issuers and their advisers as well as buy-side firms which are sounded out. Market abuse The new Market Abuse Regulation (MAR) covers other cases of market abuse. Legislative measures extend to: A wider rangeofmarketsandtypesofissuerthanunderthecurrenteuropean law, including SME markets and issuers; Cross-manipulation of spot commodities markets; Certain high frequency/algorithmic trading strategies; Benchmark manipulation.

5 Scope of application Scope of the legislation The legislation also covers all areas currently covered by the existing market abuse directives, including: Insider dealing; Improper disclosure of inside information; Market manipulation; Stabilisation of share buy backs; Timely disclosure of inside information; Insider lists; Transactions by Persons Discharging Managerial Responsibilities; Analysts independence/conflicts of interests; Suspicious transaction reporting and off-market trades.

6 Market sounding Requirements for market sounding Prior to market sounding Check whether insider information will be disclosed Record results of the examination in writing Examination prior to disclosure Solicit consent of the addressee of the markent sounding activities Information of the addressee about the confidentiality and insider dealing Documentation What information will be transferred to whom and from whom(including time and place) Disclosure to authorities(upon request) After disclosure Information to addressee if insider information loses these characteristics Audit requirement of the addressee about the possession of insider information Documentation and presentation to an authority(upon request) Further specification by FINMA 6

7 Insider lists Affected persons Issuers: stock exchange, MTF or OTF(new) Exception: KMU-growth market Allpersonsactingonbehalforontheorderoftheissuer Duties Establishment of a list of all persons who have authorized access to insider information Ongoing update Affected persons acknowledge their duties in writing Recording period: 5 years since establishment Content Identity of the affected persons(according to template: Name, Adr., ID-Number, Firm, Function, date of birth) Reasonforbeingonthelist Dateandtimeofentry Date of establishment of the insider list Updates Reasonforbeingonthelistchanges New persons have access to insider information Personsdonothaveaccessanymoretoinsiderinformation 7

8 Prevention and detection of market abuse (Suspicious Transactions & Order Reporting, STOR ) Affected persons Operators of markets and investment firms that operate a trading venue Persons that professionally execute or intermediate transactions Duties Establishment and maintenance of rules, systems, and procedures for the prevention and detection of insider dealing and market manipulation Immediate reports of suspicious transactions to the responsible administration AmendmentsintheMAR Increased number of reports expected based on the enlarged scope of application Not just«transactions», but also«orders» Further specifications by ESMA(see RTS) 8

9 Swiss Financial Market Infrastructure Act January

10 Overview scope of application of the FMIA 1 New General Sections applicable to all FMI Unclear to what extent applicable to other sections 3 New Implementation of the principles decided on by the G-20 conference in Pittsburgh. Financial Market Infrastructure Act 2 Partially new 1. Stock exchanges 2. Multilateral Trading Facilities 3. Central Counterparties 4. Central Securities Depository 5. Trade Repository 6. Payment Systems 4 Other market behavioural rules Corresponds in general to the current regulations under the SESTA re disclosure, public takeover, and insider dealing/market manipulation. 10

11 Who falls within the scope of application of the FMIA? Stock Exchanges Multilateral Trading Facilities Swiss Participants Foreign Participants Foreign Trading Venues Organized Trading Facilities Power Exchanges Central Counterparties Foreign Central Counterparties Central Counterparties Swiss Trade Repository Foreign Trade Repository Payment Systems Each market participant exploiting insider information or a recommendation based on insider information. Each person substantially influencing the price of securities with the intention of gaining pecuniary damage if false/misleading information is being disseminated against better knowledge or acquisitions and sales of such securities are directly or indirectly effected for the benefit of the same person connected for this purpose. Banks Securities dealers Insurance and reinsurance companies Parent companies of a financial group and conglomerate Fund management companies and asset managers of collective investment schemes Funds Pension funds and foundations (48 BVG) Non-financial counterparties (Enterprises not being financial counterparties) Direct or indirect holder Individually or jointly Shares, call-options or put-options of a listed company domiciled in Switzerland of a company domiciled abroad with a main listing in Switzerland (Hauptkotierung) Each person making a public takeover offer for shares of a company having its seat or listing in Switzerland or abroad, if its shares are at least partially mainly listed (hauptkotiert) in Switzerland. 11

12 Penal provisions Breach of professional secrecy A custodial sentence of up to 3 years/monetary penalty shall be imposed to anyone, who willfully discloses a secret entrusted to them in their capacity as director/officer/employee/agent/ liquidator, induces to such a breach of the professional secrecy, discloses to other persons a secret disclosed to them in violation of letter a or exploit such a secret for their own benefit or for the benefit of others. A fine not exceeding CHF shall be imposed on any person who wilfully violates the clearing duty, violates the reporting duty, violates the risk mitigation duty, violates the venue trading duty. Duties in derivatives trading Insider information A custodial sentence not exceeding 3 years or a monetary penalty shall be imposed on any person who as a body/member of a body of an issuer/company controlling or controlled by them, or as a person who due to their holding or activity has legitimate access to insider information, if they gain a pecuniary advantage by: exploiting it to acquire or dispose securities admitted to trading/use of derivatives, disclosing it to another, exploiting it to recommend to another to acquire or dispose of securities/derivatives. A custodial sentence not exceeding 3 years or a monetary penalty shall be imposed on any person who substantially influences the price of securities admitted to trading in Switzerland with the intention of gaining a pecuniary advantage if they: disseminate false or misleading information against their better knowledge; effect acquisitions and sales of such securities directly or indirectly for the benefit of the same person or persons connected for this purpose. Price manipulation 12

13 European Counterparts 08 MAR 07 National law Takeover regulation MIFID II 02 MiFIR FinfraG REMIT 05 EMIR 03 CSDR 04 13

14 Some important dates 2 October 30 June/1 July 1 April 1 September Consulation period 1. Report FMI newly Reporting to TR of Exchange of variation margins FinfraV, FinfraV- subject to the FMIA to FINMA NFC- & risk mitigation obligation entered into after 1 March 2017 for all derivatives transactions FINMA, NBV ends 2. Valuation of open derivatives positions for other participants January Likely entry into force of FMIA, FinfraV, FinfraV- FINMA, NBV Application of the documentation obligation Enhanced reporting obligations for securities dealers Implementation of stay provisions in OTCderivatives contracts 1 September Initial margins for CS and UBS due 1 October 1. Reporting to TR by FC 2. Risk mitigation obligation FC & NFC 31 December/ 1 January 1. Submission of authorization or recognition request to FINMA 2. Foreign participants on a trading venue must meet the new requirements of the FMIA 3. Provisions about pre-/post-trade transparency non-equity securities & algorithmic/high frequency trading enter into force 4. Report to TR for FC- /NFC and risk mitigation obligation for NFC- /FC- enter into force July

15 1 Are we talking about a derivative? Important questions Generally each financial contract whose value is being derived from one or multiple underlyingsand is not a cash transaction is a derivative if no exceptions are applicable. 2 What is the legal nature of the counterparty? Is the counterparty a FC or an NFC? Is the counterparty small? 3 Which obligations are applicable? Is there a clearing or reporting obligation? Are there risk mitigation measures? 4 Is there a trading obligation? 4 Who must fulfil the obligation? Who must report to the Trade Repository?

16 Are we talking about a derivative?

17 What is the legal nature of the counterparty? Financial Counterparty (FC) Non-financial Counterparty (NFC) Swiss banks, securities dealers, insurance and reinsurance companies, parent companies of financial or insurance group or financial or insurance conglomerate, fund management companies, asset managers of collective investment schemes, collective investment schemes, occupational pension schemes and investment foundations (Art k BVG). Non-financial counterparties are companies that are not financial counterparties. Small Financial Counterparty (FC-) A financial counterparty is deemed to be small if the rolling average for its gross position in all outstanding OTC transactions calculated over 30 working days of the entire financial group is below the threshold of CHF 8 bio. Small Non-financial Counterparty (NFC-) Exempted counterparties and counterparties only subject to reporting A non-financial counterparty is deemed to be small if all of the rolling averages for its gross positions in relevant outstanding OTC derivatives transactions calculated over 30 working days are below the following thresholds: credit derivatives CHF 1.1 bio., equity derivatives CHF 1.1 bio., interest derivatives CHF 3.3 bio., forex derivatives CHF 3.3 bio., commodities derivatives and other derivatives CHF 3.3 bio. The chapter on OTC-derivatives do not apply to the Confederation, Cantons, and Communities, the SNB, and the Bank for International Settlements. Multilateral development banks, certain public organizations (incl. social insurances) owned by the Confederation, Cantons, or Communities are subject to the reporting obligations according to Art. 104 FMIA.

18 Which obligations are applicable? FC FC- NFC NFC- Clearing obligation Yes No Yes No Reporting obligation Risk mitigation measures (confirmation, reconciliation, dispute resolution) Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes/No (if between NFC-) Yes/No (no Portfolio Reconciliationif NFC-) Risk mitigation measures (valuation) Risk mitigation measures (exchangeof securities) Trading venue obligation Yes No Yes No Yes Yes Yes No Yes No Yes No

19 Who has to fulfil the reporting obligation? FC NFC FC FC (-) FC1 FC2 FC1 (-) FC2 (-) NFC NFC (-) FC has to report FC has to report Selling FC has to report Selling FC- has to report NFC has to report NFC1 NFC2 NFC1 (-) NFC2 (-) Swiss CP Non- Swiss- CP CP1 CCP CP2 Selling NFC has to report No reporting obligation Swiss CCP has to report CCP has to report. If a foreign CCP does not report, the Swiss CP must report. FC = Financial Counterparty NFC (-) = Small non-financial Counterparty FC (-) = Small Financial Counterparty CP = Counterparty NFC = Non-Financial Counterparty CCP = Central Counterparty

20 Some remarks Topic Details Commentary Extraterritoriality The FMIA and its ordinances do only set forth a very limited extraterritorial effect. The FMIA does only stipulate a clearing obligation and an obligation to trade on a trading venue which will be further diluted in the FinfraV. The limited extraterritorial impact as well as the possibility to fulfill the obligations under the FMIA under foreign law are welcome. Documentation obligation FC and NFC must establish in writing the procedures/processes implementing the clearing obligation, reporting obligation, risk mitigation measures, and trading venue obligation. Non-financial counterparties can decide in writing not to trade in derivatives. These procedures/processes must already be established beginning as of January 1, There are in other words no transition periods set forth in the current draft of the FinfraVfor these obligations. Party selfdeclaration A counterparty might in principle rely on the selfdeclaration of the counterparty about its nature. Such a selfdeclaration is applicable to all obligations under the chapter related to the OTC-derivatives. Parties must be informed about amendments on time. The reliance on self-declarations issued by counterparties, especially also regarding the legal nature of foreign domiciled counterparties, are welcomed. No Frontloading The obligation to clear derivatives through licensed or recognized central counterparties starts 6 to 12 months after the point in time when FINMA determines the mandatory application of the clearing obligation related to specific derivative categories. Only derivatives transactions entered into after the start of the clearing obligation are subject to the clearing obligation. The fact that no front loading is required is welcomed from a practical point of view.

21 EU Capital Markets Union January

22 EU Capital Markets Union Financings of Start-Ups, innovation and non-listed companies Support of risk capital and participation financings Elimination of information barriers and investments for small-and-mid-sized companies Fostering innovative methods of enterprise financings Alleviations for cross-border investments Elimination of national and tax law obstacles for cross-border investments Improvement of the market infrastructure for cross-border investments Supervisory law and bankruptcy law convergences Financings of Start- Ups, innovation and non-listed companies Alleviations of Cross-border investments European Capital Market Union Easier access to public markets Long-term investments: infrastructure and sustainability Easier access to public markets Enhancement of the access to public markets Improvement of equity financing Long-term investments: infrastructure and sustainability Fostering infrastructure investments Ensuring consistency of the EUframework for the provision of financial services Leverage of banking for supporting the entire economy Enhancement of local financing Build-up of European securitisation markets Support of financing of the entire economy by means of bank financings Leverage of banking for supporting the entire economy Fostering investment activities of retail and institutional investors Fostering investment activities of retail and institutional investors Increased selection and competition for investors Enhancement of the offerings on retail investor markets Enhancement of private retirement saving More investment opportunities for 22 institutionalinvestors and fund management companies

23 Your contacts Dr. Günther Dobrauz Leiter Legal FS Regulatory & Compliance Services Partner Martin Liebi Legal FS Regulatory & Compliance Services Head Capital Markets Birchstrasse Zurich-Oerlikon Tel: Mobil: Birchstrasse Zurich-Oerlikon Tel: Mobil: