FUND 3.2 Investor information

Application

FUND 3.2.1R

This section applies to a full-scope UK AIFM of:

  1. (1)

    a UK AIF;

  2. (2)

    an EEA AIF; and

  3. (3)

    a non-EEA AIF.

Prior disclosure of information to investors

FUND 3.2.2R

An AIFM must, for each UK AIF 4that it manages, and for each AIF it markets in the UK4, make available to AIF investors before they invest, in line with the instrument constituting the fund, the following information and any material changes to it:

  1. (1)
    1. (a)

      a description of the investment strategy and objectives of the AIF;

    2. (b)

      if the AIF is a feeder AIF, information on where the master AIF is established;

    3. (c)

      if the AIF is a fund of funds, information on where the underlying funds are established;

    4. (d)

      a description of the types of assets in which the AIF may invest;

    5. (e)

      the investment techniques that the AIF, or the AIFM on behalf of the AIF, may employ and all associated risks;

    6. (f)

      any applicable investment restrictions;

    7. (g)

      the circumstances in which the AIF may use leverage;

    8. (h)

      the types and sources of leverage permitted and the associated risks;

    9. (i)

      any restrictions on the use of leverage and any collateral and asset reuse arrangements; and

    10. (j)

      the maximum level of leverage which the AIFM is entitled to employ on behalf of the AIF;

  2. (2)

    a description of the procedures by which the AIF may change its investment strategy or investment policy, or both;

  3. (3)

    a description of the main legal implications of the contractual relationship entered into for the purpose of investment, including information on jurisdiction, the applicable law and the existence or absence of any legal instruments providing for the recognition and enforcement of judgments in the territory where the AIF is established;

  4. (4)

    the identity of the AIFM, the AIF's depositary, the auditor and any other service providers and a description of their duties and the investors' rights;

  5. (5)

    a description of how the AIFM complies with the requirements referred to in IPRU-INV 11.3.11G (Professional negligence) relating to professional liability risk;

    1
  6. (6)

    a description of:

    1. (a)

      any AIFM management function delegated by the AIFM;

    2. (b)

      any safe-keeping function delegated by the depositary;

    3. (c)

      the identity of each delegate appointed in accordance with FUND 3.10 (Delegation); and

    4. (d)

      any conflicts of interest that may arise from such delegations;

  7. (7)

    a description of the AIF's valuation procedure and of the pricing methodology for valuing assets, including the methods used in valuing any hard-to-value assets, in line with FUND 3.9 (Valuation);

  8. (8)

    a description of the AIF's liquidity risk management, including the redemption rights of investors in normal and exceptional circumstances, and the existing redemption arrangements with investors;

  9. (9)

    a description of all fees, charges and expenses, and the maximum amounts directly or indirectly borne by investors;

  10. (10)

    a description of how the AIFM ensures a fair treatment of investors;

  11. (11)

    whenever an investor obtains preferential treatment or the right to obtain preferential treatment, a description of:

    1. (a)

      that preferential treatment;

    2. (b)

      the type of investors who obtain such preferential treatment; and

    3. (c)

      where relevant, their legal or economic links with the AIF or AIFM;

  12. (12)

    the procedure and conditions for the issue and sale of units or shares;

  13. (13)

    the latest net asset value of the AIF or the latest market price of the unit or share of the AIF, in line with FUND 3.9 (Valuation);

  14. (14)

    the latest annual report, in line with FUND 3.3 (Annual report of an AIF);

  15. (15)

    where available, the historical performance of the AIF;

  16. (16)
    1. (a)

      the identity of the prime brokerage firm;

    2. (b)

      a description of any material arrangements of the AIF with its prime brokerage firm and the way any conflicts of interest are managed;

    3. (c)

      the provision in the contract with the depositary on the possibility of transfer and reuse of AIF assets; and

    4. (d)

      information about any transfer of liability to the prime brokerage firm that may exist; and

  17. (17)

    a description of how and when the information required under FUND 3.2.5 R and FUND 3.2.6 R will be disclosed.

[Note: article 23(1) of AIFMD]

FUND 3.2.2AG

7An AIFM will also need to include the following when making available the information required by FUND 3.2.2R:

  1. (1)

    where a sustainability label is used in relation to a UK AIF, the information set out at ESG 5.3.3R and ESG 5.3.6R, in accordance with ESG 5.3.2R(1); and

  2. (2)

    where a sustainability label is not used in relation to a UK AIF, but the AIF uses any of the terms in ESG 4.3.2R(2) in accordance with ESG 4.3.2R(1), the information required under ESG 5.3.2R(2).

FUND 3.2.3R
  1. (1)

    An AIFM must inform investors before they invest in the AIF of any arrangement made by the depositary to contractually discharge itself of liability, in accordance with regulation 30 of the AIFMD UK Regulation.

  2. (2)

    The AIFM must also inform investors without delay of any changes with respect to depositary liability.

[Note: article 23(2) of AIFMD]

FUND 3.2.4R

Where the AIF is required to publish a prospectus under article 3 of the Prospectus Regulation5, only information referred to in FUND 3.2.2 R and 3.2.3 R that is additional to that contained in the prospectus needs to be disclosed, either separately or as additional information in the prospectus.

[Note: article 23(3) of AIFMD]

Additional information to be made available on securities financing transactions and total return swaps

FUND 3.2.4AG
  1. (1)

    2The Securities Financing Transactions Regulation sets out the additional information which a full-scope UK AIFM must make available to investors before they invest.

  2. (2)

    COLL 4.2.5BEU and COLL 4.2.5CEU copy out the relevant provisions of that regulation.

  3. (3)

    A full-scope UK AIFM of an AIF that does not use securities financing transactions or total return swaps is not required to include the information in COLL 4.2.5CEU in its pre-contractual documents.

Preparation of key information document in accordance with the PRIIPs regulation

FUND 3.2.4BG
  1. (1)

    3The PRIIPs Regulation requires the manufacturer of a PRIIP to draw up a key information document in accordance with the PRIIPs Regulation before that PRIIP is made available to retail investors (as defined in the PRIIPs Regulation).

  2. (2)

    The requirements of the PRIIPs Regulation are directly applicable.

  3. (3)

    As a result, if an AIFM makes the AIF it manages available to retail clients in the United Kingdom it must comply with the PRIIPs Regulation.

  4. (4)

    This means that, in addition to the prior disclosure of information set out at FUND 3.2.2R and FUND 3.2.3R, the AIFM must prepare:

    1. (a)

      a key information document; or

    2. (b)

      if the AIF is a non-UCITS retail scheme, a key information document or a NURS-KII document.

Periodic disclosure

FUND 3.2.5R

An AIFM must, for each UK AIF 4it manages, and each AIF it markets in the UK4, disclose to investors periodically:

  1. (1)

    the percentage of the AIF's assets that are subject to special arrangements arising from their illiquid nature;

  2. (2)

    any new arrangements for managing the liquidity of the AIF; and

  3. (3)

    the current risk profile of the AIF and the risk management systems employed by the AIFM to manage those risks.

    [Note: article 23(4) of AIFMD]

FUND 3.2.6R

An AIFM that manages a UK AIF 4or markets an AIF in the UK4 must, for each such AIF that employs leverage, disclose on a regular basis:

  1. (1)

    any changes to:

    1. (a)

      the maximum level of leverage that the AIFM may employ on behalf of the AIF; and

    2. (b)

      any right of reuse of collateral or any guarantee granted under the leveraging arrangement; and

  2. (2)

    the total amount of leverage employed by that AIF.

[Note: article 23(5) of AIFMD]

Subordinate measures

FUND 3.2.7G

Articles 108 and 109 of the AIFMD level 2 regulation provide detailed rules supplementing this section.

Prohibition on issue of bearer units

FUND 3.2.8G

6The effect of section 241A of the Act is that no bearer units in a collective investment scheme may be issued, converted or cancelled from 1 January 2021. Similar provision is made by regulation 48 of the OEIC Regulations in relation to ICVCs. However, the Bearer Certificates (Collective Investment Schemes) Regulations 2020 (SI 2020/1346) contain transitional provisions for the conversion of bearer units to registered units and the cancellation of bearer units on or before 1 January 2022.