EUROPEAN UNION: Consultation launched on barriers to cross-border fund distribution

Friday June 3 2016

The European Commission is launching a consultation on the main barriers to the cross-border distribution of investment funds (UCITS and AIF) in order to increase the proportion of funds marketed and sold across the EU. Greater cross-border distribution allows funds to grow and become more efficient, allocate capital more efficiently across the EU, and compete within national markets to deliver better value and greater innovation.

The consultation supports the creation of a Capital Markets Union (CMU), of which a key aim is to foster retail and institutional investment of investment funds. The consultation is part of the Action Plan package and builds upon the replies received to both the CMU consultation and the Commission’s recent Call for Evidence on the EU regulatory framework for financial services. In order to build upon these consultations, tangible examples and where possible quantitative and financial evidence on the financial impact of the barriers are being sought in particular, in addition to broader responses. The Commission will use this information as a basis for taking action to address the cross-border barriers to distribution.

All citizens and organisations are invited to contribute to the consultation. The Commission is particularly seeking responses from respondents who have an interest and/or experience in cross-border distribution of, or investment in, investment funds. Only responses received through the online questionnaire will be taken into account and included in the report summarising the responses.

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