Tag: Financial Conduct Authority

UK Regulators Publish Final Securitisation Rules

On 30 April 2024, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) published a policy statement (PS24/4) setting out its final firm-facing rules relating to securitisations and summarising feedback to its earlier consultation for the UK securitisation markets (CP23/17). The Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA and together with the FCA, the Regulators) also published a policy statement, in parallel with PS24/4, on its final firm-facing rules for those firms over which it has supervisory responsibility (PS7/24). This also follows the PRA’s own parallel consultation (CP15/23).

Background 

As part of the UK’s post-Brexit regulatory reforms, the UK government is working to repeal and replace retained EU financial services law with new UK domestic rules. In July 2023, the UK government published a draft statutory instrument (SI) to replace the UK’s onshored version of the Securitisation Regulation (UK SR).

Following the publication of the SI, the PRA launched CP15/23 on its proposed firm-facing requirements on 27 July 2023 and the FCA launched its parallel consultation CP23/17 on 7 August 2023. Both of these consultations are explored in further detail in our previous article (available here). While there is some duplication between the two rulebooks, the Regulators noted that they have coordinated their approach with a view to creating a coherent framework.

The Final Rules 

In PS24/4, the FCA has sought, among other things, to incorporate the feedback received on its draft rule proposals set out in its final rules, which are called the ‘Securitisation (Smarter Regulatory Framework and Consequential Amendments) Instrument 2024’.

PS24/4 makes the following key amendments to CP23/17:

  1. Timeline for implementation. The Regulators have confirmed the implementation timeline for the requirements (see the Next Steps section below), which allows for a six-month transition period for pre-implementation securitisations.
  2. Due diligence – public vs private securitisations. The FCA has adjusted the wording of its final rules to accommodate both public and private securitisations. Specifically, they refer to information provided ‘before pricing or original commitment to invest’ (in appropriate places) to reflect that private securitisations do not have “pricings” per se. In addition, the FCA has included guidance to reflect the fact that ‘pricing’ in the Simple, Transparent and Standardised (STS) template is to be understood as also including the ‘original commitment to invest’.
  3. Due diligence – disclosures by ‘manufacturers’. The FCA has adjusted the due diligence requirements for secondary market investors in relation to disclosures made by ‘manufacturers’ (i.e., the term used by the FCA as shorthand for originators, original lenders, sponsors and/or securitisation special purpose entities, each as defined in the UK SR) by:
    i) introducing a distinction between primary and secondary market investments, so that secondary market investors are not required to conduct due diligence on documents and information that are no longer relevant (e.g., information provided prior to initial pricing such as at issuance, etc.); and
    ii) clarifying that investors are required to conduct due diligence on the most up-to-date information available at the time of the investment, as opposed to documents from the timing of ‘pricing’ or ‘commitment’.
  4. Delegation. The FCA has clarified that it is possible for an institutional investor to delegate its due diligence requirements to an entity that is not an institutional investor, subject to the institutional investor retaining the responsibility for compliance with due diligence requirements. In practice, this means that institutional investors will no longer be able to delegate the responsibility for compliance with the due diligence requirements to AIFMs that are not authorised in the UK, as such AIFMs no longer fall within the definition of an ‘institutional investor’ under the SI.
  5. Risk-retention. The FCA has clarified the scope of the prohibition on hedging of the material net interest required to be retained under the risk retention requirements. Specifically, the FCA has confirmed that hedging in these circumstances is permitted for institutional investors so long as it does not compromise the alignment of interest, in line with the EU’s Risk Retention Technical Standards (Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2175). In addition, the FCA confirms that there is no need for risk retention in the context of securitisations of own-issued debt instruments, including covered bonds.
  6. Alignment with the PRA. PS24/4 aligns its drafting with that of the PRA rulebook in areas where the rules are similar – both in the language and ordering of the FCA’s rules. The FCA has stated that in a number of cases, however, it has retained the language on which it consulted where, for example, it considered it provided clarity. In non-shared areas, such as STS provisions, the FCA has retained the language and structure of the rules as proposed in CP23/17.

The FCA’s final rules will be included in the FCA’s securitisation sourcebook (known as SECN) alongside the final FCA securitsation reporting templates, which are in the same form as those currently in effect. Similarly, the PRA’s final rules will be implemented into the PRA rulebook by adding a new Securitisation Part, with consequential amendments to the Liquidity Coverage Ratio (CRR) Part and the Non-Performing Exposures Securitisation (CRR) Part.

Next Steps 

The implementation date for the FCA and PRA rules is 1 November 2024, subject to revocation of the UK SR and related technical standards.

The commencement order that will bring into force the revocation of the UK SR and related technical standards has not yet been laid before Parliament. HM Treasury anticipates making this commencement order later this year once the SI comes into force. The FCA has stated that it will consider delaying or revoking the rules if the commencement order is not made.

The Regulators plan to consult on further changes to their securitisation rules in Q4 2024/Q1 2025, although timings are potentially subject to change. In this second consultation, the Regulators plan to review the definition of public and private securitisations and the associated reporting regime, among other areas for policy consideration.

EU Divergence

HM Treasury and the Regulators have generally sought to retain the existing onshored Securitisation Regulation and associated technical standards in the FCA and PRA rulebooks, save for some targeted adjustments. These adjustments will lead to some potentially notable divergence between the UK’s new regime and the regime in the EU, including in relation to the following:

  • Template requirements. While the EU requires institutional investors to ensure disclosure templates are completed regardless of whether the sponsor, originator or SSPE are located in or outside of the EU, UK institutional investors are only required to ensure that certain prescribed information is provided, regardless of the format. Instead, UK sponsors, originators and SSPEs are under a separate obligation to comply with transparency requirements including the use of disclosure templates.
  • Originator sole purpose test. SECN references certain factors to be taken into account when assessing whether an originator has been established and is operating for the “sole purpose” of securitising exposures. The EU regime has a similar test, but focuses on whether the securitisation and related risk retention assets are the “sole or predominant source of revenue” of the originator. The UK’s regime does not set the same hurdle for meeting the sole purpose test, instead referring more generally to the retainer’s ability to meet its payment obligations.
  • Change of risk retainer. Under the EU’s rules the holder of a retained interest may not sell, transfer or otherwise surrender its rights in relation to the retained interest, unless due to its insolvency, “legal reasons beyond its control”, or where there is retention on a consolidated basis. The new UK regime does not include “legal reasons beyond its control” as a reason to disapply the sale restriction.

PS24/4, PS7/24, CP23/17, and CP15/23 can be found here, here, here and here, respectively.

©2024 Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP
For more news on FCA Securitisation Rules, visit the NLR Financial Institutions & Banking section.

UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) Issues First Fine Under New Anti-Money Laundering Regime

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Financial Conduct Authority fines Standard Bank £7.6 million for failures in its anti-money laundering controls, underlining the importance of both having and implementing adequate policies in relation to money laundering.

On 22 January, the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) published a decision notice[1] imposing a £7.6 million fine on Standard Bank PLC, the UK subsidiary of South Africa’s Standard Bank Group.[2] The fine was issued for failures relating to Standard Bank’s anti-money laundering (AML) policies and procedures for corporate customers connected to politically exposed persons (PEPs).[3] This is the first AML fine issued under the FCA’s new penalty regime and the first such fine by the FCA—or its predecessor, the Financial Services Authority—in relation to commercial banking activity.

Under Regulation 20(1) of the Money Laundering Regulations 2007, regulated institutions, such as banks, must establish and maintain “appropriate risk-sensitive policies and procedures” on customer due diligence measures and ongoing monitoring of business relationships, amongst others. The policies must be aimed at preventing money laundering and terrorist financing. Guidance issued by the Joint Money Laundering Steering Group states that enhanced due diligence (EDD) should be applied where a corporate customer is linked to a PEP, such as through a directorship or shareholding, as it is likely that this will put the customer at higher risk of being involved in bribery and corruption.

As part of its investigation into Standard Bank, the FCA reviewed a sample of 48 corporate customer files, which all had a connection with a PEP, and discovered “serious weaknesses” in the application of the bank’s AML policies and procedures. The FCA found that, from 15 December 2007 to 20 July 2011, Standard Bank breached the Money Laundering Regulations 2007 by failing to take reasonable care to ensure that all aspects of its AML policies were applied appropriately and consistently to its corporate customers connected to PEPs. In particular, the FCA found that Standard Bank did not consistently carry out adequate EDD measures before establishing business relationships with corporate customers linked to PEPs and did not conduct the appropriate level of ongoing monitoring for existing business relationships by updating its due diligence. The FCA noted the failings were particularly serious because the bank dealt with corporate customers from jurisdictions regarded as posing a higher risk of money laundering and because the FCA had previously stressed the importance of AML compliance to the industry.[4] The gravity of the failings was underlined by the FCA’s director of enforcement and financial crime, who stated that “[if banks] accept business from high risk customers they must have effective systems, controls and practices in place to manage that risk. Standard Bank clearly failed in this respect”.

This is the first AML case to use the FCA’s new penalty regime, which applies to breaches committed from 6 March 2010 and under which larger fines are expected. The FCA’s decision notice sets out how it determined the level of the fine, by reference to a five-step framework (as outlined in the Decision Procedure and Penalties Manual).[5] The FCA considered the fact that the bank and its senior management cooperated in the investigation and took significant steps to remediate the problems, including seeking advice from external consultants, to be a mitigating factor. In addition, Standard Bank’s decision to settle the matter at an early stage of the investigation resulted in a 30% discount on the fine. The original penalty was £10.9 million.

The FCA’s action against Standard Bank illustrates the increasingly tough approach taken by the UK authorities against financial crime and shows that the FCA is willing and able to enforce AML legislation. Banks and regulated firms are encouraged to ensure that they have effective policies and procedures against money laundering in place and that these are being adhered to.

[1]. View the FCA’s notice here.

[2]. The sale of Standard Bank to the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China has been agreed to and is likely to be completed during the fourth quarter of 2014.

[3]. A “PEP” is defined in the Money Laundering Regulations 2007 as “an individual who is, or has, at any time in the preceding year, been entrusted with a prominent public function”, or immediate family members and known close associates of such individuals.

[4]. The FSA published a Consultation Paper on 22 June 2011, availablehere, focusing on how banks manage money laundering risk in higher risk situations. It also published a Policy Statement on 9 December 2011, available here, providing guidance on the steps firms can take to reduce their financial crime risk.

[5]. View the manual here.

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Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP