In our latest Monthly Statistical Release, we show the main developments for the European investment fund market in December 2024 and include a first overview and analysis of the full year 2024.
In our latest Monthly Statistical Release, we show the main developments for the European investment fund market in December 2024 and include a first overview and analysis of the full year 2024.
Today, the European Fund and Asset Management Association (EFAMA) published the 20th issue of its Market Insights series, titled “Beyond fund consolidation: a more promising strategy for bigger funds and faster cost declines in Europe”. This publication compares the size and number of equity UCITS with that of US equity mutual funds and challenges the commonly held belief that fund consolidation will significantly lower the cost of funds in Europe.
In its recently published market report on the costs and performance of EU retail investment products, ESMA asserts that there are “substantial differences in the fund cost level between the EU and the US”. In its accompanying press release, ESMA emphasizes that “the market inefficiencies revealed by this higher cost level show the need to focus on the competitiveness of EU markets, within a future Savings and Investments Union.”
Since recent market disruptions such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the Financial Stability Board (FSB) and the International Organization of Securities Supervisors (IOSCO) have investigated how to make investment funds more resilient to liquidity shocks. The FSB published their recommendations in December 2023 and IOSCO is now looking into how to adjust their own 2018 recommendations along these lines.
In its response to IOSCO’s consultation on the revised recommendations for liquidity risk management for collective investment schemes, EFAMA welcomes the fact that IOSCO recognises aspects essential for proper risk management (e.g., asset managers’ primary responsibility and the absence of one-size-fits-all approaches).
Representatives of the EU and UK-based financial services industries met today (11 February 2025) in Brussels to discuss their respective priorities and shared challenges on the eve of the latest EU-UK Financial Regulatory Forum meeting and agreed on the following statement.
In its current form, the Retail Investment Strategy (RIS) will not achieve its goal of making investing more accessible to European citizens and could deter, rather than encourage, retail participation. In order to stand a chance of delivering on its objectives, the RIS needs urgent simplification. EFAMA have produced a short leaflet with our recommendations on how to simplify and reduce complexity in the current proposal.
Our key suggestions include:
EFAMA is the representative association for the European investment management industry. EFAMA represents through its 28 member associations and 62 corporate members EUR 21 trillion in assets under management of which EUR 12.6 trillion managed by 56,000 investment funds at end 2015. Just over 30,000 of these funds were UCITS (Undertakings for Collective Investments in Transferable Securities) funds, with the remaining 25,900 funds composed of AIFs (Alternative Investment Funds). Our industry provides significant and stable flows of finance to the European economy.
EFAMA welcomes the opportunity to provide comments to the ESMA Consultation Paper on the draft technical standards under the Benchmark Regulation. EFAMA also welcomes a number of clarifications that ESMA is providing in this Consultation since its previous Discussion Paper.
EFAMA supports every efforts made to enhance financial markets regulation which reinforces the stability and the transparency of the financial system.
In that perspective, EFAMA welcomes the opportunity to comment on the ESMA consultation paper on the Draft RTS and ITS under SFTR and amendments to related EMIR RTS.
Prior to replying to the consultation, we wish to make the following general remarks
EFAMA, welcomes the opportunity to comment on the ESMA Discussion Paper (“DP”) on the trading obligation for derivatives under MiFIR.
As a principle, EFAMA supports every effort made to enhance financial market regulation which reinforces the stability of the financial system, of which MiFIR is an important part.
Prior to replying to the consultation, we wish to make the following general remarks.
EFAMA welcomes the opportunity to respond to the European Commission’s consultation envisaging the review of the EU macro-prudential policy framework. The consultation paper emphasises the review of the existing prudential framework built around the systemic nature of credit institutions and at the cornerstone of which lies the CRD/CRR, accompanied by the ESRB Regulation and the foundation of a Single Supervisory Mechanism (SSM) for a Banking Union, in turn revolving around the ECB.
EFAMA welcomes the opportunity to provide its comments on the Good Practices to be adopted by IOSCO for the Termination of Investment Funds. We agree that the decision to terminate a fund can have significant impact on investors in terms of the costs associated with such an action, or the ability for investors to redeem their holdings during the termination process. In this regard, even in the context of a fund’s voluntary termination, asset managers must abide by their fiduciary obligation to act in the best interest of their investors.

Discover the 6 reasons why your organisation should become a member of EFAMA.
Our members enjoy significant benefits including the opportunity to shape the industry positions, get first-hand access to regulatory and political intelligence, engage with industry peers and policymakers, and take part in EFAMA events.
Our three membership categories cater to the wide range of organisations that make up and support the investment management industry in Europe.