PRESENTED BY JFA – Legal Update 24 October 2013 Robert Milner.
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Transcript of PRESENTED BY JFA – Legal Update 24 October 2013 Robert Milner.
PRESENTED BY
JFA – Legal Update
24 October 2013
Robert Milner
LEGAL UPDATE
■ AIFMD
■ New Prospectuses Order
■ Managed Accounts
■ LLPs
■ FATCA and Son of FATCA
■ New Security Interests Law
FOCUS FOR TODAY – FUNDS PRACTITIONERS
■Background?■Why should you care?■Next Steps?
AIFMD: BACKGROUND
■ EU legislation seeks to harmonise regulation and marketing of AIFs by AIFMs
■ Ultimately, aims to provide a ‘passport’ to market throughout the EU (per prospectus directive, UCITs, etc)
■ Focuses on the AIFM (although does impact AIFs too)■ Went through many iterations (political dynamite)
AIFMD: WHY SHOULD YOU CARE?
■ New Jersey laws – apply where any fund is marketing into EU
– Require all AIFs and AIFMs to be regulated
– BUT only if AIFMD applies
■ Existing regulated funds and managers pretty much OK
■ Transitional provisions
■ AIFs – AIF certificate
■ AIFM – FS(J)L registration (consent for “sub-threshold”)
■ Horrible consequences of getting it wrong: criminal offences in EU and Jsy PLUS Art 22 FS(J)L – contracts can be void
EXISTING AIFS: BRIDGING THE GAP
■ AIFMD rules
■ Consent to marketing
■ Supervision
■ Information
■ Authorisation
■ Permission
Very COBO Regulated Unregulatedprivate only / PPF CIF Fund
AIF Codes of Practice
AIFCertAIF
Cert
Notice
JERSEY REGULATION: AIFS
* The Alternative Investment Funds (Jersey) Order 2013, Article 2(3)** The Alternative Investment Funds (Jersey) Order 2013, Article 2(1)
JERSEY REGULATION: AIFMS
*The Financial Services (Jersey) Law 1998, Schedule 2, Part 5, Article 23(3)** The Financial Services (Jersey) Law 1998, Schedule 2, Part 5, Article 23(1)
NEW STRUCTURES – SPOTTING THE ISSUES
■ What is “marketing”?
■ What is an AIF?
■ What is an AIFM?
Why aren’t the answers clear?
■ 28 interpretations
■ Little guidance outside UK
■ ESMA / EU review
NEW STRUCTURES: WHAT IS AN AIF?
■ Very broad definition - easier to look at what isn’t caught■ Trading companies – ie commercial activity (not including financial
services) or industrial activity is OK■ Joint-ventures
■ Intra-group: only investors are in manager’s group and none are funds
■ Employee participation schemes
■ Managed accounts
NEW STRUCTURES: WHAT IS AN AIF?
■ Other things that aren’t caught:
■ UCITS
■ Holding companies
■ Securitisation special purpose vehicles (SPVs)
■ Pension funds, insurance contracts
Concerns about club deals, co-invest vehicles etc
NEW PROSPECTUSES ORDER: BACKGROUND
■ Collective Investment Funds (Certified Funds – Prospectuses) (Jersey) Order 2012
■All certified funds (unclassified, expert, listed) must comply from November 2013
■Replaces UFPO and CGPO
NEW PROSPECTUSES ORDER: WHY DO YOU CARE?
■ Transitional provisions about to expire■All open-ended funds will be caught■ Closed-ended funds – impact if they started
marketing before November 2012■Requirement for ongoing revision (can be done by
supplement) if new offer or material change■ Criminal offence- 5ys and/or fine
NEW PROSPECTUSES ORDER: NEXT STEPS
■Beat the rush!■If UFPO compliant, should be straightforward■Can get derogations – need to be reasoned
and specifically requested
MANAGED ACCOUNTS: BACKGROUND
■What is a managed account?■Art 2 FS(J)L – distinguishes FSB and IB based on who
the client is■ FSB regime less onerous than IB■ Fund managers prejudiced – need IB as well as FSB
for doing exactly the same job■ Proposed new class of FSB and IB exemption■Hopefully in force early 2014
MANAGED ACCOUNTS: WHY SHOULD YOU CARE?
■ Can streamline regulation for existing Jersey fund managers
■ Can attract new managers to the Island and encourages substance
■ Provides clarity on tax position■ Potentially neat solution to AIFMD
MANAGED ACCOUNTS: CRITERIA
■Minimum investment US$1,000,000■Single Individual (includes couples and family
offices) or Corporate client■Discretionary investment management ■Investment policy/restrictions either the same
or substantially similar to existing fund■Subject to change!
MANAGED ACCOUNTS: NEXT STEPS
■Tell people!■See if suitable for fund manager clients -
MoME’d or otherwise■Convert existing structures?■Develop custody products?
LLPs: BACKGROUND
■ Introduced in 1997■ Supposed to attract international professional partnerships■ Combination of £5m ‘deposit’ and UK government pressure on
HMRC meant no-one used them■ UK LLPs have since became popular structures for fund
managers■ LLP law changing - £5m requirement already gone - and
wholesale modernisation in progress
LLPs: WHY SHOULD YOU CARE?
■ Key product for fund managers looking to set up in Jersey■ Combination of separate legal personality, tax transparency
and limited liability■ Other tax advantages in UK■ More flexible than companies - like a ‘general’ partnership but
with limited liability■ More flexible than limited partnerships – every partner can
take part in management without losing limited liability
LLPs: NEXT STEPS
■Get familiar with the structure – basic filing and solvency requirements
■ Spread the word■Await new LLP law later this year ■New UK proposals may drive existing LLPs offshore
FATCA/SON OF FATCA: BACKGROUND
■ The US wants the rest of the world to help it collect taxes■ This is done by identifying US investors in local structures and
providing information on their interests or by making foreign financial institutions withhold tax on payments they make
■ If you don’t comply, the US can impose withholding taxes on any US investments
■ Everyone hates FATCA – delayed and possibly diminished – 1 Jan 2015 now deadline for FFIs
■ UK wants in on the act – Son of FATCA■ Stop Press: Jsy/UK IGA signed up this week
FATCA/SON OF FATCA: WHY SHOULD YOU CARE?
■Withholding tax = very unhappy investors (particularly non-US)
■ Either Fund or Administrator/Custodian will be responsible
■Need to know who your investors are■Deemed compliance ■Data Protection issues?■ Son of FATCA could drive UK investors elsewhere
FATCA: NEXT STEPS
■ FATCA: Wait for Guidance Notes■ Son of FATCA: IGA details to follow■ In the meantime, identify existing US investors■ Identify new US investors – use subscription agreement reps■ Sort potential Data Protection issues – use subscription
agreement■ New world order on tax network agreements by 2015?
NEW SECURITY INTERESTS LAW: BACKGROUND
■Old law was old■New law is new■New not necessarily better but coming in on 1
January 2014 anyway
NEW SECURITY INTERESTS LAW: WHY SHOULD YOU CARE?
■ If your structures lend against Jersey-situate collateral, all security must be taken in accordance with new law from 1/1/14
■ Existing security OK – but could it be improved?■ More certainty on non-sale enforcement ■ Register introduced so need to check when buying Jersey
assets■ If you are a bank or custodian, you may have to be party to
SIAs■ Third party security now officially OK
This presentation is intended for educational purposes only, is not for circulation and does not constitute legal advice. Legal advice should be sought for specific queries or circumstances.
© Copyright 2013
CONTACT DETAILSRobert MilnerPartner, Carey Olsen
T 01534 822 336