Securities

On 3 March 2013, Swiss voters approved the constitutional initiative against excessive compensation which requires, among other things, shareholder approval of board and executive management compensation (the “Minder Initiative”). Final implementation of the Minder Initiative requires legislative action by the Swiss Parliament; however, in the interim the Swiss Federal Council is required to issue an…

On 3 March 2013 a constitutional amendment was approved by the Swiss voters as proposed by the Minder say-on-pay initiative. By the end of May 2013, the Federal Office of Justice is expected to publish a draft implementing ordinance, which will be enacted on 1 January 2014. The implementing ordinance will overhaul the Swiss corporate…

On 1 May 2013, the new Swiss rules on insider dealing and market manipulation entered into force. They bring about a fundamental change in Swiss administrative and criminal law and will have a significant impact on Swiss practice. Accordingly, issuers, financial institutions, advisers and other affected persons (meaning any other market participant in Switzerland) should…

Market Abuse and Takeover Law – A New Start under Swiss Law On 28 September 2012, the Swiss parliament passed a bill amending the Stock Exchange Act (SESTA). The amendment, which is due to enter in force on 1 April 2013, introduces fundamental changes to market abuse and takeover law, as well as other minor…

While traditional (statutory) Pfandbriefe still dominate the Swiss covered bond market, the avenue of structured (contractual) covered bonds has recently been explored when first UBS (in 2009) and then Credit Suisse (in 2010) established their respective covered bond programs and presents an alternative for Swiss mortgage lenders seeking for flexibility and an improved access to…

In times of aggravated credit financing and continuing volatility in the markets, issuing high-yield corporate debt to retail investors can prove a feasible way of accessing money—for small, medium and even large enterprises. Historically, the purchase of individual bonds was beyond the reach of most private investors because the minimum amount needed to trade was…

This article outlines key features of the recently-signed Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act (JOBS Act), which is intended to streamline access to the US capital markets for a range of issuers. Among other developments, the JOBS Act reduces disclosure burdens, eases requirements for initial public offerings for certain companies, relaxes restrictions on communications around securities…

In the aftermath of the turmoil on the global financial markets which has become prominently known and felt since the year 2008, FINMA, first in its discussion paper on regulating the production and distribution of financial products to retail clients (Distribution Report) and now in its position paper on the regulation of the production and…

Seven years after the entry into force of the harmonized EU prospectus regime with the EU Prospectus Directive 2003/71/EC (PD) and the EU Prospectus Regulation EC/809/2004 (PR), a major revision of the EU prospectus regime will enter into force on 1 July 2012 when EU member states will be required to implement EU Directive 2010/73/EU…