Regulatory

Practical problems arising from the present notification duty for voting rights delegated on a discretionary basis caused FINMA to consult on a revision of this rule. If implemented, those persons who actually decide on how delegated voting rights are exercised will be subject to the notification duty and no longer the persons controlling either directly…

On 1 November 2016, the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA (FINMA) announced its publication of a new circular relating to the supervisory requirements for banks, specifically with regards to corporate governance, internal control systems and risk management. At the same time, FINMA published amendments to existing circulars in relation to remuneration schemes and operational…

Before the background of the growing importance of financial technologies (FinTech), blockchain technology is gaining more and more of the public spotlight. Given that the existing legal framework has been designed for the traditional financial services industry rather than for technology-based business models, both regulators and legislators are facing the challenge of potentially adapting the…

Financial technologies (FinTech) are in the process of becoming the next chapter of Swiss financial market regulation. The rapid growth of the Swiss FinTech ecosystem, the public spotlight, and the changing perception on the importance and the future prospects of innovative business models in the financial industry have triggered a number of interesting regulatory developments….

On July 19, 2016, the European Securities and Markets Authority (“ESMA”) published its revised advice to the European Parliament, the European Council, and the European Commission on the extension of the AIFMD marketing and management passport (“AIFMD Passport”) to certain non-EU alternative investment fund managers (“AIFM”) and alternative investment funds (“AIF”). With respect to Switzerland,…

In May 2016, the Board of Governors of the U.S. Federal Reserve System proposed new rules that, if adopted, will constitute a significant shift in the terms of financial contracts such as over-the-counter derivatives, repurchase agreement and securities lending transactions. Under the proposed rules, these qualified financial contracts would have to conform with U.S. special resolution…

On 1 July 2016 revised rules on anti-bribery and corruption law entered into force. The revisions aim at improving the basis to combat corruption in the business sector (so-called private sector bribery). Notably, individuals and companies may be punished cumulatively. Under the new rules, companies and their boards of directors should take appropriate internal measures…

On 11 May 2016, the Swiss Federal Council adopted an amendment to the Capital Adequacy Ordinance which sets out the new capital requirements for systemically important banks and introduces a new gone concern requirement for globally systemically important banks in line with G20 standards as promulgated by the Financial Stability Board. It further defines the…

July 2016 will see the entry into force in member states across the EU of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014, the so-called Market Abuse Regulation or MAR to replace the outgoing Market Abuse Directive. As set out in its recital (5), MAR removes a number of “divergences between national laws”. The EU legislator found it necessary…