Representatives of the EU and UK-based financial services industries met today (11 February 2025) in Brussels to discuss their respective priorities and shared challenges on the eve of the latest EU-UK Financial Regulatory Forum meeting and agreed on the following statement.
In its current form, the Retail Investment Strategy (RIS) will not achieve its goal of making investing more accessible to European citizens and could deter, rather than encourage, retail participation. In order to stand a chance of delivering on its objectives, the RIS needs urgent simplification. EFAMA have produced a short leaflet with our recommendations on how to simplify and reduce complexity in the current proposal.
Our key suggestions include:
The European Fund and Asset Management Association (EFAMA) has launched its AI-system Assessment Tool, which is designed to support firms of all sizes navigate the regulatory complexities of AI. Developed together with EFAMA member experts from across the industry, the Tool will help firms document and assess AI use cases in line with the EU AI Act and other interdependent regulations, including GDPR, MiFIR and DORA, using a free-of-charge standardised tool.
EFAMA has launched its AI-system Assessment Tool, which is designed to support firms of all sizes navigate the regulatory complexities of AI. Developed together with EFAMA member experts from across the industry, the Tool will help firms document and assess AI use cases in line with the EU AI Act and other interdependent regulations, including GDPR, MiFIR and DORA, using a free-of-charge standardised tool.
The general application of the AI Act is set to enter into force next year—including new obligations for high-risk AI system providers.
EFAMA has submitted its response to ESMA’s consultation on the Active Account Requirements (AAR). Our industry stands ready to implement the AAR by June 2025... However, we have strong reservations about the heavy and redundant reporting requirements.
EFAMA has published its latest Monthly Statistical Release for November 2024.
European Commission’s Omnibus initiative should also be used to make CSRD consistent with SFDR
Today the European Securities and Markets Authorities (ESMA) hosted the T+1 Governance Launch Meeting to present the arrangements for driving the move to the reduction of default settlement cycles to T+1 for EU securities markets.
The new European Commission is under pressure to act quickly and decisively and are moving full steam ahead with their policy priorities in 2025.
We can expect numerous new regulatory proposals in areas of importance for asset managers, including simplification, boosting competitiveness, financial stability and a new Savings & Investment Union proposal.
The focus on competitiveness and regulatory simplicity is definitely a step in the right direction after many years of ballooning regulatory complexity.
EFAMA has published its latest Monthly Statistical Release for October 2024.
Thomas Tilley, Senior Economist at EFAMA, commented: “2024 is shaping up to be another record-breaking year for ETFs, with almost EUR 200 billion in net sales over the first ten months of the year.”
