reform

Outlines of reform proposals for European long-term investment funds (Eltif), agreed by EU policy-makers last month, have been hailed as major positive step forward by some in the industry. More quietly, though, others suggest the fundamental contradictions at the heart of the vehicle have yet to be resolved. 

“Never waste a good crisis” is an English expression that you can safely leave to the French and Italians. In the political “no man’s land of Christmas”, and moreover shortly after Angela Merkel stepped down as Chancellor and on the eve of the French Presidency of the European Council, President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Mario Draghi chose their moment.

They fired a targeted flare into the dark December night over the European Union.

Luxembourg is ranked third in the eurozone for securitisation business, and this is set for a boost when a long-awaited reform of the law is passed, hopefully in the first half of this year.

The reaction to recent European Commission proposals for AIFMD II reform from Luxembourg finance industry participants was positive. On the whole, changes have been kept to a minimum. For Luxembourg this means the alternative fund industry’s current business model does need to change, but the country will have to manage some more back-office tasks, and needs to ensure some more substance.

On-going high-level talk about reform of AIFMD and UCITS is generating nervousness in the European asset management industry. Was the 18 August letter on this topic from ESMA to the European Commission really about seeking to promote efficiency, or is it more a post-Brexit reckoning that could upset current successful arrangements?