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ESMA cracks down on the sale of binary options and CFDs to retail investors
The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has announced its intention to prohibit the sale of binary options to retail investors and to place restrictions on the sale of contracts for difference (CFDs). This is the first use of ESMA's new intervention powers under MiFID II.
Read moreFCA reviews approach to enforcement and penalties
The FCA has announced plans in its recent consultation paper on enforcement to review how it applies penalties which have gone from record highs to record lows over the past 5 years.
Read moreChanges on the horizon - FCA consults on non-workplace pensions
The FCA has issued a discussion paper targeted at the non-workplace pension market. The paper marks the start of the FCA's work looking at whether there is harm in the non-workplace pension market and to better understand the potential presence, nature, extent and cause of any harm.
Read morePrivilege: A welcome respite from ENRC?
Are interviews held with employees to prepare a report intended to deter a governmental authority from taking legal action privileged?
Read moreESMA to use new powers to attack the sale of CFDs and binary bets to retail investors
ESMA has launched a public consultation on measures to protect retail investors investing in contracts for difference (CFDs) and binary bets. Potential changes include wide-ranging restrictions on the marketing and sale of CFDs, and a complete prohibition on the sale of binary bets to retail investors. An intervention would mark ESMA's first use of its new powers under MiFID II, which came into force on 3 January.
Read moreThe FCA pledges to take action against providers of contracts for difference
The FCA has concluded that consumers are at "serious risk of harm" due to the poor practices of some providers and distributors of CFDs. The regulator will take further action against at least one firm in its latest crack-down on these "complex, high-risk" products.
Read moreThoughts on the FCA's fund fee transparency proposals
Alternative investment funds may soon be required to report total cost of ownership in a standardised form. Work on new templates in ongoing, and fund managers need to be aware of the situation and to be involved in this important debate that has so far been largely overlooked.
Read moreInitial Coin Offerings – the digital financing process under global scrutiny
In an era of social media platforms and the like, the technological world creeps into its corporate counterpart of today. Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) storm the corporate world by force, but what does the future hold for the new phenomenon?
Read moreFCA revisits FSCS funding proposals, and abandons plans for significant changes to professional indemnity insurance requirements
The FCA has published a second consultation paper on the thorny subject of FSCS funding. Although not widely reported so far, the new consultation makes it clear that the FCA will not, after all, consult on significant changes to personal investment firms' professional indemnity insurance requirements.
Read moreFCA allows confidential report to be scrutinised by Treasury Select Committee
The FCA has allowed the Treasury Select Committee to review its s.166 report into RBS' Global Restructuring Group (GRG) and has published an interim summary of the report. It is possible that the threat of publication will play on the minds of firms subject to s.166 reports, which may reduce cooperation with skilled persons and therefore the efficacy of this investigatory power.
Read moreThe FCA makes clear its expectations of financial advisers
FCA, regulatory, financial services
Read moreFCA criticised by Complaints Commissioner for its handling of enforcement limitation issues
The Office of the Complaints Commissioner recently upheld two complaints against the FCA for making a "serious mistake" in its management of limitation issues for two connected investigations. The Commissioner criticised the FCA not only for its mismanagement of the limitation issue, but also for the unnecessary delays in concluding its own internal investigation into these complaints.
Read moreDB Transfers - now what?
We know that the FCA is looking closely at defined benefit transfers; we already have the FCA's review of redress methodology and the defined benefit transfer rules. We now have the results of the FCA's review, into defined benefit transfers and it makes for uncomfortable reading for the financial services industry.
Read moreIs the FCA to blame for BSPS? MPs seem to think so
The House of Commons Public Accounts Committee (PAC) yesterday published a report entitled "Investigation into the British Steel Pension Scheme". The report makes a number of recommendations in light of its investigations in to the FCA's conduct and regulatory oversight at the time of the issues arising from the British Steel Pension Scheme (BSPS) and in particular the decision by 7,834 members to transfer to a personal pension arrangement. The report is heavily critical of the FCA's handling of BSPS and its regulatory oversight of the defined benefit transfer market generally. Given the request in the report for an update from the FCA on its progress on the various recommendations and conclusions in 6 months' time, we wait to see how the FCA reacts to yet further criticism of its handling of BSPS at a time when it is reviewing responses to the consumer redress scheme consultation.
Read moreSIPPs and FOS - does the Rowanmoor decision change anything?
Last week FOS published a decision it reached last year in a complaint against a SIPP provider involving advised sales. The FOS upheld the complaint, finding that the SIPP provider should have rejected business from the regulated financial adviser, CIB Life and Pensions Limited (CIB), given, broadly, red flags available to the SIPP provider with respect to the operation of CIB's business model including that CIB was not advising on the ultimate investment within the SIPP and as a result such introductions involved a significant risk of consumer detriment. The decision has received quite a bit of press attention - but has it moved the dial for SIPP complaints before FOS or not?
Read moreThe Future of Insolvency Regulation
On 21 December 2021 the Government launched a consultation into the future of insolvency regulation. The changes proposed in the consultation document will have a wide ranging impact on the insolvency profession (and its insurers) with the proposals including: the direct regulation of insolvency firms, the introduction of a single regulatory body with powers to order compensation against insolvency practitioners and firms, a new additional requirements regime, changes to the bond regime and a public register of insolvency practitioners and firms. Many of the changes proposed require primary legislation and so it may be some time before the changes to take effect (if adopted). But there does appear to be some wind behind these proposals given they follow on from the Call for Evidence in 2019 and a more general focus on insolvency issues in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Read moreThe CAT's new approach: I can't afford a carriage (dispute)
Since the collective proceedings regime in the UK's Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) kicked off, a number of carriage disputes have arisen. So-called 'carriage disputes' arise when there are two or more competing proposed class representatives (PCRs) seeking certification (and therefore 'carriage') of overlapping class actions.
Read moreClosure notices and the appeals process
In this article we consider the process by which a taxpayer can bring a protracted HMRC enquiry to and end and appeal against a closure notice issued by HMRC.
Read moreHNWs: Understanding HMRC's Offshore Information Gathering Capabilities
Wealthy individuals have long been the focus of a substantial part of HMRC’s compliance activities, but a difficult economic climate together with a looming general election and possible change of government is likely to lead to even greater scrutiny of HNWs by HMRC in the short term.
Read moreTribunal confirms no tax due on disposal of property held on trust for taxpayer's brother
In Raveendran v HMRC [2024] UKFTT 273 (TC), the First-tier Tribunal allowed the taxpayer's appeal against HMRC's discovery assessment in relation to the disposal of a property because it was held on trust for his brother.
Read moreTribunal confirms loans from remuneration trust were disguised remuneration
In allowing HMRC's appeal in part, the Upper Tribunal determined that payments received under a remuneration trust scheme were caught by the anti-avoidance provisions in Part 7A of the Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003.
Read moreDealing with HMRC information notices
Considering three common types of HMRC information notices and the extent to which they can be challenged.
Read moreTribunal awards taxpayer his costs due to HMRC's unreasonable conduct
In Aftab Ahmed v HMRC [2024] UKFTT 00236 (TC), the First-tier Tribunal granted the taxpayer's application for costs as HMRC had acted unreasonably in defending the appeal.
Read moreTribunal allows entrepreneurs' relief appeal
In Cooke v HMRC [2024] UKFTT 272 (TC), the FTT allowed the taxpayer's appeal against HMRC's refusal of entrepreneurs' relief
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