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.

Increasing fund assets is seen as a more realistic and effective avenue

Today, the European Fund and Asset Management Association (EFAMA) published the 20^th 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.”

IOSCO recommendations would unduly hamper investment fund risk management 

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.

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. 
 

EFAMA leaflet sets out clear recommendations for improvement

EFAMA’s new tool facilitates compliance with the AI Act

The European Fund and Asset Management Association (EFAMA) has launched its AI-system Assessment Tool, which is designed to support firms of all sizes navigate the regulatory complexities of AI. Developed together with EFAMA member experts from across the industry, the Tool will help firms document and assess AI use cases in line with the EU AI Act and other interdependent regulations, including GDPR, MiFIR and DORA, using a free-of-charge standardised tool.

Rising data fees to offset declining trading revenue burden market participants with surging costs