Wednesday August 17 2011

News Source: Fund Regulation

Focus: General - Fund Regulation

Type: General

Country: European Union




Relevant Directive Rule

The relevant UCITS Directive article for this rule (Article 50.a) for which a link is provided below.

UCITS IV

Overview

UCITS refers to the list of “MiFID Regulated Markets.” MiFID defines and regulates three types of execution venue:

  • Regulated Markets (RMs) – see below;
  • Multilateral Trading Facilities (MTFs) – alternative or automated trading systems and certain electronic communication networks; and
  • Systematic Internalisers (SI) – regulated investment firms which “on an organised, frequent and systemic basis” deal on their own account by executing client orders outside RMs or MTFs.

The list of Regulated Markets can be found on the European Commission`s website or on the ESMA MiFID Website. Please find a link to same below;

ESMA MiFiD Database

Regulated Markets

MiFID defines Regulated Markets and prescribes minimum requirements that a market must meet before given authorisation as a regulated market. Article 4, paragraph 1, point 14 of Directive 2004/39/EC (link below) defines a ‘regulated market’ as a multilateral system operated and/or managed by a market operator, which brings together or facilitates the bringing together of multiple third-party buying and selling interests in financial instruments — in the system and in accordance with its non-discretionary rules — in a way that results in a contract, in respect of the financial instruments admitted to trading under its rules and/or systems, and which is authorized and functions regularly and in accordance with the provisions of Title III of Directive 2004/39/EC.

MiFiD Directive

Article 47 of the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (Directive 2004/39/EC, OJ L 145, 30.4.2004) authorises each Member State to confer the status of ‘regulated market’ on those markets constituted on its territory and which comply with its regulations. Article 47 also requires that each Member State maintains an updated list of regulated markets authorised by it and requires the Commission to publish a list of regulated markets, notified to it, on a yearly basis in the Official Journal of the European Union.

Transparency

MiFID prescribes minimum standards for pre-trade transparency on Regulates Markets and MTFs, distinguishing order-matching and quote-driven systems and post-trade transparency requirements previously applicable to Regulated Markets are extended to MTFs. Post-trade transaction reporting requirements apply to trades in all instruments admitted to trading in a Regulated Market, even if the trade is executed off-exchange.

Passporting

Passporting is also key to MiFiD as well. MiFiD does this in two ways:

  • Member States must allow foreign broker-dealers to become members in or access domestic Regulated Markets
  • Member States must allow Regulated Markets from other Member States to provide appropriate arrangements to facilitate access to and trading on their markets by remote members or participants established there.

Should you wish to contact the author of this article or discuss any of the issues raised above, please don’t hesitate to email: info@fund-axis.com