EU delays new rules on insurance-based investment products (PRIIPs) by one year
The Commission has just proposed an extension for the date of application of the Regulation on Key Information Documents for Packaged Retail and Insurance-based Investment Products (PRIIPs). The Commission and a Council Working Group agreed in a meeting on Wednesday morning 9 November 2016 to delay the implementation of the PRIIPs Regulation, following discussions earlier
The Belgian Financial Services and Markets Authority adds crowdfunding to its communication on public offers that are exempted from the prospectus obligation
On 27 October 2016, the Belgian Financial Services and Markets Authority (FSMA) released its amended communication on public offers that are exempted from the obligation to publish a prospectus. Providers who wish to publicly offer a crowdfunding type of investment can also benefit from the statutory prospectus exemption. Statutory prospectus exemption for crowdfunding The applicable
Belgian-regulated investment funds: tax-on-tax
On 20 October 2016, the Belgian Constitutional Court rendered a decision confirming the non-discriminatory character of the requirement for Belgian-regulated investment funds (such as SICAV/SICAF and the new FIIS), Regulated Real Estate Companies (RRECs) and Pension Funds organised as OFPs to report corporate income tax expenses/provisions as disallowed expenses in their corporate income tax returns, resulting
Belgian Tax on Stock Exchange Transactions also soon applicable to ‘foreign platforms’
The Belgian government has just announced that the scope of the Belgian Tax on Stock Exchange Transactions (‘TOB’ or ‘beurstaks’) would be extended in order to also cover ‘foreign platforms’. This announcement is part of the budget agreement presented last Sunday. As a recall, the application of the tax to foreign platforms has raised many
Royal Decree of 10 July 2016: a new start for alternative investment funds investing in non-listed companies and growth businesses?
On 4 August 2016, the Royal Decree on alternative investment funds investing in non-listed companies and growth businesses was published in the Belgian State Gazette. Its main objective is a new start for investment companies with fixed capital investing in non-listed companies and growth businesses (Public Privaks) (“Publieke Privak”/“Pricaf Publique”). The objective The Royal Decree
Packaged retail investment products: European Parliament returns draft law to Commission
Earlier this week, the European Parliament’s Economic and Monetary Committee (ECON) had already unanimously rejected the European Commission’s investor protection proposals for consumers who buy packaged retail and insurance-based investment products (PRIIPs). The draft legislation consisted of regulatory technical standards (RTS) that accompany the PRIIPs Regulation[1] and were developed by the Commission to provide greater
PRIIPS: Investor protection proposals have been unanimously rejected by ECON
On 1 September 2016, the European Parliament’s Economic and Monetary Committee (ECON) unanimously rejected the European Commission’s investor protection proposals. The Commission’s proposal The European Commission had set out regulatory technical standards (RTS) to provide greater protection to consumers who are interested in investing in packaged retail and insurance-based investment products (PRIIPs). The RTS are
Belgium – corporate tax reform announced
In April 2016, the Federal government, in the framework of the agreement on additional budgetary and recovery measures following the 2016 budgetary control exercise, announced a reform of the Belgian corporate income tax (see our news flash on 11 April 2016). In July 2016, the ‘High Finance Council’ has published a report examining the different
