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Brexit

Page dedicated to following institutions :
- Institutions based in the UK who work in other EU countries under the freedom of establishment or free services
- Institutions based in the UE27 who work in the UK under the freedom of establishment or free services

 
 

As of 1 January 2021, European law is no longer applicable in the United Kingdom. In particular, banking and insurance institutions authorised in the United Kingdom no longer have the right to offer their services in France under the freedom of establishment* or the free provision of services**. 

* That is, having a permanent presence in France, for example through a branch.

** This means no permanent presence in France, for example via a digital platform established in the United Kingdom or via brokers.

 

EUROPEAN AUTHORITIES

Insurance sector (EIOPA) :

(https://www.eiopa.europa.eu/brexit-communication_en?source=search )

  • 11 July 2017 opinion on convergence of supervision    
  • 21 december 2017 opinion on contract continuity
  • 18 May 2018 opinion on solvency
  • 28 June 2018 on communication to policyholders
  • 19 February 2019 Recommendations for the insurance sector in light of the United Kingdom withdrawing from the European Union

EIOPA published the results of the compliance assessment for all NCAs (https://eiopa.europa.eu/Pages/Recommendations-for-the-insurance-sector-in-light-of-the-United-Kingdom-withdrawing-from-the-European-Union.aspx)

ACPR stated its compliance to all recommendations except recommendation 6.

With regard to French positive law, the ACPR was not able to declare itself compliant with recommendation 6 relating to the treatment of British expatriates who have taken out an insurance contract in the United Kingdom or in Gibraltar and who then have moved to EU 27 post-Brexit. This change in risk location requires these expatriates to take out an insurance contract with an insurer authorized to practice in France.

 

Banking sector (ECB, EBA, ESMA)

Within the Single Supervisory Mechanism (SSM), the European Central Bank (ECB) regularly released its expectations for credit institutions regarding the actions they have to take to be ready for Brexit :

The European Banking Authority (EBA) released several opinions on Brexit for both credit institutions and investment firms :

 

The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) released two opinions on Brexit, the first one being general and the second one dedicated to investment firms.

 

In the second half of 2020, ESMA was asked to communicate regularly on BREXIT:

On 10 November 2020, ESMA updated three declarations dealing with the impact on the reporting under EMIR and SFTR and on the functioning of ESMA’s databases and IT systems after 31 December 2020, the date on which the United Kingdom-United leaves the EU:

 

FRENCH AUTHORITIES

Ordonnance BREXIT

The 16th December 2020 Ordonnance n°2020-1595 (in French) on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union in the field of financial services was published on the 7 February 2019 in the Journal officiel. (the “French Brexit Ordinance”)

It provides for the implementation of two regulatory measures:

 

ACPR / AMF

  • The ACPR and the AMF have been seized by AMAFI with a question relating to transactions between an EU intermediary and a third country intermediary (inter dealer transactions). Indeed, in the light of the provisions of MIFIR (in particular Article 46), some credit institutions and investment firms established in France were concerned that they would no longer be able to carry out OTC transactions on financial instruments with similar entities established in the post-Brexit United Kingdom. Reply Letter (in French).
  • 28 September 2016 ACPR-AMF common press release on the exceptional arrangements for authorising entities under ACPR supervision wishing to settle in France.(in French)
  • 29 June 2018 ACPR press release on EIOPA and EBA opinions, underlining notably that contracts concluded before UK leave of the EU27 with UK institutions remain valid and must be executed on goof faith (in French).

 

HAUT COMITE JURIDIQUE DE PLACE

Created at the instigation of the AMF and the Banque de France, the High Legal Committee of the Financial Place of Paris (HCJP) carries out, independently, legal analyses and makes them public. It is composed of lawyers, academics and other qualified individuals as well as representatives of the AMF and the Banque de France. The General Directorate of the Treasury, the ACPR and the Ministry of Justice participate in its meetings.

In the context of Brexit, he has published several reports, among which:

  • 12 September 2018 "Impacts Brexit in insurance business "
  • 13 October 2018 "BREXIT, Banking and Investment Services"

 

Contacts

Such institutions (credit institutions, investment firms, payment institutions, electronic money institutions, or insurance companies) that might have questions are invited to contact the Authorisation Directorate (see organisation chart below).

Authorisation Directorate

  • Director: Geoffroy Goffinet
  • Banks and Investment Firms Division: Jérôme chevy
  • Specialised Procedures and Institutions Division: Julia Guérin
  • Insurance Institutions Division: Christine Decubre

Updated on: 04/23/2021 12:10