UCITS
UCITS (Undertakings for Collective Investment in Transferable Securities) refers to the EU framework for harmonising the creation, management and marketing of collective investment schemes in the EU (and EEA) Member States. It places a strong focus on investors’ protection and product regulation. Owing to this harmonised framework, once UCITS funds are registered in one Member State, they can be freely marketed across the European Union. Initially adopted in 1985, the UCITS Directive has since been modified repeatedly, to take into account developments in financial markets.
EFAMA is adamant to protect the competitiveness and international appeal of UCITS.
EFAMA Response to the EBA Consultation on draft Guidelines on outsourcing arrangements
EFAMA Position Paper Review of the European System of Financial Supervision
Use of Leverage in Investment Funds in Europe | AMIC-EFAMA Joint Paper
Fund consolidation would have a limited impact on fund costs
Increasing fund assets is seen as a more realistic and effective avenue
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.
A like-for-like comparison of the cost of US mutual funds and UCITS is missing from the latest ESMA report
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.”
Industry sector matters when comparing the performance of active vs. passive equity UCITS
EFAMA has published today the latest edition of its Market Insights series, titled “The sectoral performance of active and passive UCITS - is a simple measure enough?”. This publication compares the net performance of different categories of equity UCITS funds over the last ten years (2014-2023).
The rise of active ETFs in Europe – A short overview
EFAMA is pleased to launch the first edition of its new Industry Perspective research series, entitled “The rise of active ETFs in Europe – A short overview”.
This publication gives a brief summary of the active ETF market in Europe, including its characteristics, growth over time, and comparison to the active ETF market in the US.
Key trends in active ETFs:
Market Insights #18 - Sustainable Equity UCITS
This report looks specifically at the evolving trends of the equity asset class of sustainable UCITS, whose share is the highest (53%) in total sustainable UCITS funds. It highlights their role as investment vehicles in facilitating the green transition. The universe of sustainable equity UCITS funds is defined based on Morningstar’s classification of sustainable financial instruments1. This means funds must claim to have a sustainability objective, and/or use binding ESG criteria for their investment selection.
New rules for the AIFMD and UCITS Directive
New rules for the AIFMD and UCITS Directive were published on 26 March 2024 in the Official Journal of the European Union, making them law. These investment frameworks are European success stories and an integral part of the Capital Markets Union (CMU).
