CSSF

Three fund directors have sent a letter to Europe’s top regulatory body to complain about a lack of action by Luxembourg’s regulator CSSF to protect investors.

They run several Luxembourg-domiciled funds, known as LFP I, that were defrauded for millions of euros, contends LFP I director David Mapley. Mapley says the CSSF ‘is really obstructing our work’ to recoup the lost funds, he told Investment Officer.

The upcoming external audit of Luxembourg’s anti money-laundering (AML) stance is a major test for the country, its financial sector and the regulators. While the CSSF continues to maintain a low public profile, it has ramped up its work behind the scenes to respond to new demands by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), an intergovernmental body set up to fight money laundering. The regulator is encouraging the industry to adopt best practices.

Figures published by the supervisory Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier show that Luxembourg-registered investment funds were managing approximately 4,670 bn euro in November 2019. 

Ever since 1998, Luxembourg has been gaining influence and volume as a hub for investment funds, showing next to no downturn in the process. In 1998, the total amount of capital managed by Luxembourg investment funds was approximately 500 bn euro. 

Luxembourg’s banks are not yet reaping the benefits of Brexit as Brexit-related additional costs are outstripping the rise in revenues. This has led to a year-on-year decline of 5.4% in banks’ profits in the third quarter of 2019, according to CSSF figures.

“In 2018, 21 banks active [in Luxemburg] for more than three years had a cost to income ratio in excess of 100%, and there could be more this year,” CSSF director general Claude Marx said recently. As in the rest of Europe, Luxembourg’s B2C banks in particular are under diverse pressures. Some tough strategic choices are required.