Catagory:ESG

1
Europe: New Irish Fast-Track Filing Process for Fund Name Changes To Comply With ESG-Related Rules
2
Volunteer Fire Fighters: CFTC Attempts to Boost Integrity of Voluntary Carbon Credit Derivative Contracts With New Guidance for DCMS
3
ASIC Releases Some Additional Guidance on Greenwashing
4
Europe: BaFin Changes Its Process for Fund Passporting Into Germany
5
Europe: FCA Amends Opening Date for Registration of New UCITS Schemes Under UK Overseas Fund Regime
6
Missouri Anti-ESG Rules Struck Down
7
Australia: Environmental Futures Launch on the ASX
8
Europe: European Commission Adopts Delegated Regulations for ELTIF 2.0 and Rejects Key Changes Proposed by ESMA
9
Europe: UK FCA’s Anti-Greenwashing Rule and Guidance Come Into Force on 31 May 2024
10
Europe: ESMA publishes Guidelines on fund names using ESG or sustainability-related terms

Europe: New Irish Fast-Track Filing Process for Fund Name Changes To Comply With ESG-Related Rules

By: Áine Ní Riain and Gayle Bowen

The Central Bank of Ireland (CBI) has announced a streamlined filing process for Irish UCITS and AIFs seeking to change their name to comply with the European Securities and Markets Authority’s guidelines on funds’ names using ESG or sustainability-related terms (the Guidelines).

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Volunteer Fire Fighters: CFTC Attempts to Boost Integrity of Voluntary Carbon Credit Derivative Contracts With New Guidance for DCMS

By Cheryl L. Isaac, Matthew J. Rogers, and Benjamin C. Skillin

On 20 September 2024, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) released final guidance regarding the listing of voluntary carbon credit (VCC) derivative contracts on CFTC-registered exchanges known as designated contract markets (DCMs). VCCs are tradable, intangible instruments issued by a carbon crediting program and generally represent the equivalent of one metric ton of carbon dioxide avoided or removed from the atmosphere. As with other commodities, the CFTC does not have regulatory authority over VCCs, but can promulgate guidance and regulations related to derivatives on VCCs.   

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ASIC Releases Some Additional Guidance on Greenwashing

By: Jim Bulling and Anthony Shorten

Much of the recent media commentary on greenwashing has revolved around enforcement action taken by ASIC against entities who have misled investors or shareholders. However, there has been less discussion on best practices for entities looking to avoid greenwashing.

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Europe: BaFin Changes Its Process for Fund Passporting Into Germany

By: Hilger Von Livonius, Emma O’Dwyer, Aoife Maguire, and Gayle Bowen

On 14 and 15 August 2024, the German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) updated the following guidance notices:

Guidance Notice on marketing of EU UCITS in Germany

Guidance Notice (2013) for marketing units or shares of EU AIFs or domestic special AIFs (Spezial-AIF) managed by an EU AIF management company to semi-professional and professional investors in the Federal Republic of Germany pursuant to section 323 of the Investment Code

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Europe: FCA Amends Opening Date for Registration of New UCITS Schemes Under UK Overseas Fund Regime

By: Emma O’Dwyer, Aoife Maguire, and Gayle Bowen

The UK’s Financial Conduct Authority has put back the opening date for the application gateway for recognition of new UCITS schemes (i.e. those schemes not already registered under the Temporary Marketing Permissions Regime) under the OFR.

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Missouri Anti-ESG Rules Struck Down

By: Lance C. Dial and Pablo J. Man

Yesterday, 14 August 2024, a United States District Court issued a decision in Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association vs. Ashcroft finding that a pair of “anti-ESG” regulations promulgated by the Missouri Securities Division were both preempted by federal law and unconstitutional. While specifically applicable only to the Missouri regulations, this decision sets new guardrails for existing and future state regulation of federally-registered broker-dealers and investment advisers both generally and relating to environmental social and governance (ESG) investing.

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Australia: Environmental Futures Launch on the ASX

By: Matthew Watts, Lisa Lautier, and Dhivya Kalyanakumar

Environmental Futures

In a push to support investors through the energy transition, the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) has listed a suite of environmental futures contracts on ASX 24 covering:

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Europe: European Commission Adopts Delegated Regulations for ELTIF 2.0 and Rejects Key Changes Proposed by ESMA

By: Gayle Bowen and Shane Geraghty

The European Commission (EC) has adopted the long awaited ELTIF 2.0 Delegated Regulation (RTS). Its version rejects a number of key proposals previously introduced by ESMA. In particular, the EC has returned to its original versions of Annex I and Annex II, with minor amendments.

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Europe: UK FCA’s Anti-Greenwashing Rule and Guidance Come Into Force on 31 May 2024

By: Philip Morgan, Andrew Massey, and Omega Modi

An anti-greenwashing rule comes into force in the UK on 31 May 2024. This is the first part of the FCA’s Sustainability Disclosure Requirements.

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Europe: ESMA publishes Guidelines on fund names using ESG or sustainability-related terms

By: Áine Ní Riain, Dr Philipp Riedl, and Ruth Hennessy.

The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has published its much anticipated Final Report: Guidelines on funds’ names using ESG or sustainability-related terms (Guidelines).

This follows a consultation on the subject between November 2022 and February 2023 and an update provided by ESMA last December.

Acknowledging the significant impact of fund names on investor decision-making, ESMA has determined that a fund with ESG- or sustainability-related terms in its name must apply at least 80% of its investments to meet environmental or social characteristics or sustainable investment objectives.

The Guidelines also apply exclusion criteria for certain terms in fund names:

  • “Environmental”, “impact” and “sustainability”- related terms will require compliance with the exclusions applicable to Paris-aligned Benchmarks; and
  • “Transition, “social” and “governance”- related terms will necessitate compliance with the exclusions applicable to Climate Transition Benchmarks.

Use of “sustainability”-related terms in fund names will require a commitment to “invest meaningfully” in sustainable investments. Similar use of “transition” or “impact” – related terms will require that the relevant fund’s investments used to meet the 80% threshold are on a clear and measurable path to transition or are made with the objective to generate a positive, measurable impact alongside a financial return.

The Guidelines will apply to all EU UCITS and EU AIFs, and it currently seems likely that they will also apply to non-EU funds marketed into the EU (this is a point on which we will be watching developments closely).

The Guidelines are expected to come into force in Q3 or Q4 2024, subject to completion of administrative formalities including a decision by national competent authorities on whether to apply them locally (which is generally expected). Existing funds will have an additional 3-month transition period before compliance becomes mandatory.

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