Home / DIRECTIVE 2011/61/EU / ENACTING TERMS / Paragraphs 01 - 04 

DIRECTIVES

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 53(1) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

Having regard to the opinion of the European Central Bank ( 1 ),

Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee ( 2 ),

Acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure ( 3 ),

Whereas:

(1) Managers of alternative investment funds (AIFMs) are responsible for the management of a significant amount of invested assets in the Union, account for significant amounts of trading in markets for financial instruments, and can exercise an important influence on markets and companies in which they invest.

(2) The impact of AIFMs on the markets in which they operate is largely beneficial, but recent financial difficulties have underlined how the activities of AIFMs may also serve to spread or amplify risks through the financial system. Uncoordinated national responses make the efficient management of those risks difficult. This Directive therefore aims at establishing common requirements governing the authorisation and supervision of AIFMs in order to provide a coherent approach to the related risks and their impact on investors and markets in the Union.

(3) Recent difficulties in financial markets have underlined that many AIFM strategies are vulnerable to some or several important risks in relation to investors, other market participants and markets. In order to provide comprehensive and common arrangements for supervision, it is necessary to establish a framework capable of addressing those risks taking into account the diverse range of investment strategies and techniques employed by AIFMs. Consequently, this Directive should apply to AIFMs managing all types of funds that are not covered by Directive 2009/65/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 July 2009 on the coordination of laws, regulations and administrative provisions relating to the undertakings for collective investment in transferable securities (UCITS) ( 4 ), irrespective of the legal or contractual manner in which the AIFMs are entrusted with this responsibility. AIFMs should not be entitled to manage UCITS within the meaning of Directive 2009/65/EC on the basis of an authorisation under this Directive.

(4) This Directive aims to provide for an internal market for AIFMs and a harmonised and stringent regulatory and supervisory framework for the activities within the Union of all AIFMs, including those which have their registered office in a Member State (EU AIFMs) and those which have their registered office in a third country (non-EU AIFMs). As the practical consequences and possible difficulties resulting from a harmonised regulatory framework and an internal market for non- EU AIFMs performing management and/or marketing activities within the Union and EU AIFMs managing non-EU alternative investment funds (AIFs), are uncertain and difficult to predict due to the lack of previous experience in this regard, a review mechanism should be provided for. It is intended that, after a transitional period of 2 years, a harmonised passport regime become applicable to non-EU AIFMs performing management and/or marketing activities within the Union and EU AIFMs managing non-EU AIFs after the entry into force of a delegated act by the Commission in this regard. It is intended that the harmonised regime, during a further transitional period of 3 years, co-exist with the national regimes of the Member States subject to certain minimum harmonised conditions. After that 3-year period of co-existence, it is intended that the national regimes be brought to an end on the entry into force of a further delegated act by the Commission.

(1) OJ C 272, 13.11.2009, p. 1.

(2) OJ C 18, 19.1.2011, p. 90.

(3) Position of the European Parliament of 11 November 2010 (not yet published in the Official Journal) and decision of the Council of 27 May 2011.

(4) OJ L 302, 17.11.2009, p. 32.