Fighting financial crime, protecting consumers’ needs, and bolstering wholesale markets are the regulator’s key priorities for the year ahead.
On 19 March 2024, the FCA published its Business Plan for 2024/25, setting...more
The FCA found that wholesale data markets can be improved, but has ruled out a significant intervention.
The FCA has published the findings of its wholesale data market study (MS23/1.5), which examined competition in the...more
3/8/2024
/ Asset Class ,
Benchmarks ,
Competition ,
Credit Ratings ,
Data Collection ,
Enterprise Act 2002 ,
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) ,
Financial Markets ,
FSMA ,
Information Reports ,
UK ,
Wholesale
FCA finds firms have been working hard to embed the Duty, but there remains room for improvement.
On 20 February 2024, the FCA published more information on the Consumer Duty, including a publication highlighting good...more
2/29/2024
/ Compliance ,
Compliance Monitoring ,
Corporate Culture ,
Corporate Governance ,
Data Collection ,
Duty of Care ,
Fair Value Standard ,
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Goods or Services ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Surveys ,
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
The OCC outlines safety and soundness principles and appropriate risk management processes for its regulated institutions that engage in BNPL lending.
On December 6, 2023, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency...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 Discussion Paper on the Advice Guidance Boundary Review examines how authorised firms can provide more support to customers.
The FCA has published a Discussion Paper (DP23/5) with the government on the Advice...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
As regulatory thinking evolves, firms must ensure that any current or planned use of AI complies with regulatory expectations.
As financial services firms digest FS2/23, the joint Feedback Statement on Artificial...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
With the implementation deadline looming, the FCA has set out some additional guidance for firms.
With one month to go until the Consumer Duty (Duty) implementation deadline of 31 July 2023 (for new and existing products...more
What Is the Consumer Duty?
To recap, a core priority for the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is improving outcomes for consumers. The FCA has stated that it is concerned that, due to the way financial services markets...more
An evolving landscape of reforms in the ESG ratings sector continues to pose challenges to providers of ratings and scores.
International momentum to regulate ESG ratings continues as the European Commission released a...more
6/16/2023
/ Consultation ,
Corporate Governance ,
Data Collection ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
EU ,
European Commission ,
European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) ,
Global Market ,
HM Treasury ,
India ,
IOSCO ,
Japan ,
Ratings ,
Regulatory Agencies ,
Regulatory Agenda
As the “most ambitious legislative proposal since the inception of EU financial regulation”, the changes would make significant amendments to MiFID II and PRIIPs.
On 24 May 2023, the European Commission (Commission)...more
6/6/2023
/ Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive (AIFMD) ,
Best Interest Standard ,
Capital Markets Union ,
EU ,
European Commission ,
Member State ,
MiFID ,
MiFID II ,
Packaged Retail And Insurance-Based Investment Products (PRIIPS) ,
Proposed Amendments ,
Retail Investors ,
Solvency II ,
UCITS
The FCA has published the findings from its review of firms’ fair value assessment frameworks and set out implementation priorities for firms.
On 10 May 2023, the FCA published a speech by Sheldon Mills, FCA Executive...more
The Consumer Duty applies to firms that materially influence consumer outcomes.
The Consumer Duty (Duty) (as set out in the FCA’s Policy Statement PS22/9 and guidance document FG22/5) will come into force at the end of...more
The Future Regulatory Framework and Consumer Duty will be key areas of focus for the coming year.
On 5 April 2023, the FCA published its Business Plan for 2023/24. The Business Plan sets out a number of priority areas...more
Consumer-facing companies face an increasingly complex UK regulatory landscape as multiple regulators place the spotlight on consumer rights and protections. A raft of new legislation is set to impact businesses and PE...more
4/5/2023
/ Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) ,
Compliance ,
Consumer Contracts ,
Consumer Credit Protection ,
Consumer Financial Products ,
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) ,
New Legislation ,
Portfolio Companies ,
Private Equity ,
Retail Investors ,
Sponsors ,
UK
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
The FCA has reviewed firms’ progress to embed the Duty into their businesses, providing good and poor practice examples for firms to improve and direct their implementation work.
The Consumer Duty (Duty) rules (as set...more
Many sectors, including financial services, have encountered a discernible increase in whistleblows in recent times — a trend that shows no signs of abating. Indeed, some whistleblowers have seen fit to publicise their...more