Source: http://docplayer.net/12139699-Ordinance-of-the-swiss-financial-market-supervisory-authority-on-collective-investment-schemes.html
Timestamp: 2017-12-11 14:29:07
Document Index: 322495870

Matched Legal Cases: ['Art. 55', 'Art. 76', 'Art. 1', 'Art. 2', 'Art. 3', 'Art. 4', 'Art. 5', 'Art. 6', 'Art. 7', 'Art. 8', 'Art. 9', 'Art. 10', 'Art. 55', 'Art. 76', 'Art. 11', 'Art. 12', 'Art. 13', 'Art. 14', 'Art. 15', 'Art. 16', 'Art. 17', 'Art. 18', 'Art. 19', 'Art. 20', 'Art. 21', 'Art. 22', 'Art. 23', 'Art. 24', 'Art. 56', 'Art. 72', 'Art. 25', 'Art. 26', 'Art. 27', 'Art. 28', 'Art. 29', 'Art. 30', 'Art. 48', 'Art. 48', 'Art. 31', 'Art. 32', 'Art. 33', 'Art. 34', 'Art. 35', 'Art. 36', 'Art. 37', 'Art. 38', 'Art. 38', 'Art. 39', 'Art. 40', 'Art. 41', 'Art. 42', 'Art. 43', 'Art. 44', 'Art. 45', 'Art. 46', 'Art. 47', 'Art. 48', 'Art. 49', 'Art. 50', 'Art. 1', 'Art. 11', 'Art. 25', 'Art. 101', 'Art. 52', 'Art. 87', 'Art. 662', 'Art. 89', 'Art. 53', 'Art. 26', 'Art. 54', 'Art. 112', 'Art. 55', 'Art. 11']

Ordinance of the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority on Collective Investment Schemes - PDF
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1 English is not an official language of the Swiss Confederation. This translation is provided for information purposes only and has no legal force. Ordinance of the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority on Collective Investment Schemes (FINMA Collective Investment Schemes Ordinance, CISO-FINMA) 1 of 21 December 2006 (Status as of 1 January 2009) The Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA), 2 based on Article 55 paragraph 3, 56 paragraph 3, 71 paragraph 2, 91 and 128 paragraph 5 of the Collective Investment Schemes Act of June 23, (CISA), 4 ordains: Title 1: Investment Techniques and Derivatives Chapter 1: Securities Funds Section 1: Securities Lending (Art. 55 para. 1 let. a CISA and Art. 76 Collective Investment Schemes Ordinance of 22 Nov , CISO) Art. 1 Definition In this section, securities lending means a legally binding transaction in which the fund management company or investment company with variable capital (SICAV), acting as lender, undertakes to temporarily transfer to the borrower ownership of specific securities, while the borrower is obliged to return to the lender securities of the same type, quantity and quality at the end of the securities lending period and to transfer any income earned during such period to the lender. AS Amended by No I 1 of the FINMA Ordinance of 20 Nov on the Harmonisation of Ordinances issued by the Authorities with the Financial Market Supervision Act, in force since 1 Jan (AS ). 2 Amended by No I 1 of the FINMA Ordinance of 20 Nov on the Harmonisation of Ordinances issued by the Authorities with the Financial Market Supervision Act, in force since 1 Jan (AS ). 3 SR Amended by No I 1 of the FINMA Ordinance of 20 Nov on the Harmonisation of Ordinances issued by the Authorities with the Financial Market Supervision Act, in force since 1 Jan (AS ). 5 SR
2 Credit Institutions Art. 2 Principles 1 The fund management company or SICAV may lend securities in its own name and for its own account to a borrower ("principal") or appoint an intermediary to put the securities at the disposal of the borrower either on a fiduciary basis ("agent") or directly ("finder"), in accordance with the provisions of this section. 2 The fund management company or SICAV shall conclude a standardised framework agreement governing securities lending with each borrower or intermediary. 3 The fund management company or SICAV shall regulate securities lending in a set of internal guidelines. These shall be reviewed at least once a year. Art. 3 Authorised borrowers and intermediaries 1 The fund management company or SICAV shall conduct securities lending transactions exclusively with first-class borrowers or intermediaries which are specialised in transactions of this type, such as banks, brokers and insurance companies, as well as recognised securities clearing organisations that guarantee the proper execution of such transactions. 2 The fund management company or SICAV must obtain the custodian bank's written consent should the latter not be participating in the securities lending transaction as either borrower or intermediary. The custodian bank may only withhold its consent if there is no guarantee that it can meet its statutory and contractual duties with regard to settlement, safekeeping, provision of information, and control. Art. 4 Securities eligible for lending 1 The fund management company or SICAV may lend all types of securities that are traded on an exchange or other regulated market open to the public. 2 It may not lend securities acquired under a reverse repo transaction. Art. 5 Termination dates and notice periods 1 It must be possible to terminate individual transactions and the standardised framework agreement for the securities lending transaction at any time. 2 Where the observation of a notice period has been agreed, that period may not exceed ten banking days. Art. 6 Scope and duration 1 If the fund management company or SICAV is required to observe a notice period before it may again have legal control of the loaned securities, it may not lend more than 50 percent of the eligible holding of a particular security. 2 If, however, the borrower or intermediary provides a contractual guarantee to the fund management company or SICAV that the latter may again legally dispose of the loaned securities on the same or following banking day, the fund management company or SICAV may lend the entire eligible holding of a particular security. 2
3 FINMA Collective Investment Schemes Ordinance Art. 7 Minimum contents of the standardised framework agreement 1 The standardised framework agreement must meet the relevant international standards. 2 The standardised framework agreement must indicate those securities funds whose securities are in principle eligible for securities lending, in addition to the securities which are excluded from securities lending. 3 The fund management company or SICAV shall stipulate in the standardised framework agreement with the borrower or intermediary that: a. the borrower or intermediary shall pledge or transfer collateral to the fund management company or SICAV for the purposes of guaranteeing restitution in accordance with Article 8; b. the value of the collateral must at all times be at least 105 percent of the market value of the loaned securities or 102 percent if the collateral consists of: 1. liquid assets or 2. fixed or variable rate securities which exhibit a current long-term rating from a rating agency recognised by FINMA 6 of at least "AAA", "Aaa" or the equivalent; c. the borrower or intermediary is liable vis-à-vis the fund management company or SICAV for: 1. the prompt, unconditional payment of any income accruing during the securities lending period, 2. the assertion of other proprietary rights such as conversion and subscription rights, and 3. the contractually agreed return of securities of the same type, quantity and quality; d. the borrower or intermediary shall assign all securities available for the securities lending transaction to the individual lenders on the basis of objective and transparent criteria; e. the risk involved in the netting of the loaned securities with claims of the borrower or intermediary is excluded. Art. 8 Collateral 1 The following types of collateral are permitted: a. liquid assets; b. collective investment schemes which invest exclusively in liquid assets or money market instruments and which exhibit a current long-term rating from 6 Expression in accordance with No I 1 of the FINMA Ordinance of 20 Nov on the Harmonisation of Ordinances issued by the Authorities with the Financial Market Supervision Act, in force since 1 Jan (AS ). This amendment has been made throughout the text. 3
4 Credit Institutions a rating agency recognised by FINMA of at least "AAA", "Aaa" or the equivalent; c. fixed or variable rate securities issued by the Swiss Confederation, cantons and municipalities; d. fixed or variable rate securities which exhibit a current long-term rating from a rating agency recognised by FINMA of at least "A-", "A3" or the equivalent; e. irrevocable letters of credit from third-party banks which exhibit a current long-term rating from a rating agency recognised by FINMA of at least "A- ", "A3" or the equivalent; f. shares which are traded on a stock exchange or other regulated market open to the public in Switzerland, a member state of the European Union, a signatory of the European Economic Area Agreement, or the United States of America (USA), and which were issued by companies included in a representative index of highly capitalised stocks. 2 If the rating of an issuer or the securities assigned as collateral, or of a guarantor or a third-party bank, falls below the minimum rating, new collateral which meets the requirements must be provided within a reasonable period, taking due account of the investors' interests. 3 Shares only count towards collateral if they can be valued on a daily basis and are highly liquid. They may only be counted at market value less a security margin. The security margin must reflect the volatility of the shares in question and must amount to at least 15 percent. 4 The fund management company or SICAV may not lend, repledge or sell the collateral pledged or transferred to its ownership or use it under a repurchase transaction or as collateral to cover obligations arising from derivative financial instruments. 5 In the case of any claims still uncovered following the sale of collateral, the fund management company or SICAV must be in a position to allocate them to those securities funds the securities of which were the subject of the lending transactions.. Art. 9 Special duties of the custodian bank The custodian bank has the following special duties in connection with the settlement of the securities lending transaction: a. It shall inform the fund management company or SICAV on a regular basis of the lending transactions conducted. b. It shall, at least once a month, produce a commissions statement. c. It shall ensure that the securities lending transactions are settled in a secure manner, in line with the agreements and, in particular, it shall monitor compliance with the requirements relating to collateral. d. In addition, it shall carry out the administrative duties assigned to it under the safe-custody regulations during the term of the lending transaction and 4
5 FINMA Collective Investment Schemes Ordinance assert all rights associated with the loaned securities, unless such duties have been ceded under the terms of the standardised framework agreement. Art. 10 Inventory and statement of net assets, or balance sheet, inclusion in investment limits 1 Loaned securities must be denoted as being "lent" in the securities fund's inventory and must continue to be included in the statement of net assets, or the balance sheet. 2 Loaned securities must continue to be taken into account when ensuring compliance with the statutory and regulatory investment restrictions. Section 2: Securities Repurchase Agreements (Repo, Reverse Repo) (Art. 55 para. 1 let. b CISA and Art. 76 CISO 7 )) Art. 11 Definitions In this section: a. "Securities repurchase agreement" means a repo (or sale and repurchase agreement) and reverse repo (or reverse sale and repurchase agreement); b. "Repo" means a legally binding transaction in which one party (the borrower or repo seller) temporarily transfers ownership of specific securities to another party (the lender or repo buyer), while the lender undertakes to return to the borrower securities of the same type, quantity and quality at the end of the repo term together with any income earned during such term. During the term of the repurchase agreement, the price risk associated with the securities shall be borne by the borrower; c. "Reverse repo" means a repo from the perspective of the lender; d. "Repo interest" means the difference between the selling price and purchase price of the securities. Art. 12 Principles 1 The fund management company or SICAV may conclude repurchase agreements in its own name and for its own account with a counterparty ("principal") or may appoint an intermediary to conclude repurchase agreements with a counterparty either indirectly on a fiduciary basis ("agent") or directly ("finder"), in accordance with the provisions of this section. 2 The fund management company or SICAV shall conclude a standardised framework agreement governing repurchase agreements with each counterparty or intermediary. 3 The fund management company or SICAV shall regulate repurchase agreements in a set of internal guidelines. These shall be reviewed at least once a year. 7 SR
6 Credit Institutions Art. 13 Authorised counterparties and intermediaries 1 The fund management company or SICAV shall conduct repurchase agreements exclusively with first-class counterparties or intermediaries that specialise in these types of transactions, such as banks, brokers and insurance companies, as well as recognised securities clearing organisations that can guarantee the execution of transactions in a due and proper manner. 2 The fund management company or SICAV must obtain the written consent of the custodian bank if the latter is not to be involved in the repurchase agreement as either counterparty or intermediary. The custodian bank may only deny its consent if there is no guarantee that it can meet its statutory and contractual duties with regard to settlement, safekeeping, provision of information, and control. Art. 14 Securities eligible for repurchase agreements 1 For repo transactions, the fund management company or SICAV may use all types of securities that are traded on a stock exchange or other regulated market open to the public. 2 For repo purposes, it may not use securities acquired under a reverse repo. Art. 15 Permissibility of reverse repos 1 The fund management company or SICAV may only acquire the following securities as part of a reverse repo: a. fixed or variable rate securities issued by the Swiss Confederation, cantons and municipalities; b. fixed or variable rate securities which exhibit a current long-term rating from a rating agency recognised by FINMA of at least "A-", "A3" or the equivalent; 2 If the rating of an issuer or of the securities acquired or of a guarantor falls below the minimum rating required, the reverse repo must be cancelled within a reasonable period, taking due account of the investors' interests. 3 The fund management company or SICAV may not lend or sell securities acquired in connection with reverse repos, nor may it use them as collateral to cover obligations arising from derivative financial instruments. Art. 16 Termination dates and notice periods 1 It must be possible to terminate individual transactions and the standardised framework agreement for the repurchase transaction at any time. 2 Where the observation of a notice period has been agreed, such period may not exceed ten banking days. 6
7 FINMA Collective Investment Schemes Ordinance Art. 17 Scope and duration of the repo 1 If the fund management company or SICAV must observe a notice period before it can once again have legal control of the securities under the repurchase agreement, it may not use more than 50 percent of its holdings of a particular security eligible for repo transactions. 2 If, however, the counterparty or intermediary provides the fund management company or SICAV with a contractual guarantee that the latter may again have legal control of the securities under the repurchase agreement on the same or following banking day, its entire holding of a particular security eligible for repo transactions may be used. Art. 18 Securing claims for money and securities 1 In order to secure claims for money and securities arising from repurchase agreements, the claims and obligations must be valued daily at the current market price, taking account of accrued interest and the income due to the borrower, and the difference must be marked to market daily. 2 Compensation must be in cash or in securities. The latter must be comparable in type and quality to the securities used for the repurchase agreement. Art. 19 Minimum contents of the standardised framework agreement 1 The standardised framework agreement must meet the relevant international standards. 2 The standardised framework agreement must indicate both the securities funds for which repurchase agreements may in principle be conducted and the securities which are excluded from the repurchase agreement. 3 The fund management company or SICAV shall stipulate in the standardised framework agreement with the counterparty or intermediary that: a. the lender is liable vis-à-vis the borrower for: 1. the prompt, unconditional payment of any income accruing during the repurchase agreement and the compensating payments to be made pursuant to Article 1 8, 2. the assertion of other proprietary rights such as conversion and subscription rights, and 3. the contractually agreed return of securities of the same type, quantity and quality; b. the borrower is liable vis-à-vis the lender for: 1. the prompt, unconditional payment of any compensating payments to be made during the term of the repurchase agreement pursuant to Article 1 8, and 2. the repurchase of the securities under the repo transaction in compliance with the terms of the agreement; 7
8 Credit Institutions c. the risk involved in netting claims for money and securities arising from repurchase agreements with claims of the counterparty or intermediary is excluded. Art. 20 Special duties of the custodian bank The custodian bank has the following special duties in relation to the settlement of the repurchase transaction: a. It ensures that the repurchase transaction is settled in a secure and contractually agreed manner. b. It ensures that fluctuations in the value of the securities used in repo transactions are compensated for in cash or securities (marked to market). c. For the duration of the repurchase transaction it shall, in addition, carry out the administrative duties assigned to it under the safe-custody regulations and assert all rights associated with the securities used in the repo transaction, unless such duties have been ceded under the standardised framework agreement. Art. 21 Raising loans via repo agreements 1 Pursuant to Article 77 paragraph 2 CISO 8., a repurchase agreement represents the raising of a loan by the securities fund. 2 The money obligations arising from repos, together with all other loans taken, must comply with the statutory and regulatory limits on borrowing. 3 If, when conducting a repo transaction, the fund management company or SICAV uses the money received to acquire securities of the same type, quality, credit rating and maturity in conjunction with the conclusion of a reverse repo, this is not deemed to be taking a loan. Art. 22 Distinction between reverse repos and the granting of loans 1 Pursuant to Article 77 paragraph 1 letter a CISO 9, reverse repos do not represent the granting of a loan. 2 Pursuant to Article 75 CISO, money claims in connection with the conclusion of reverse repos are deemed liquid assets. Art. 23 Inclusion in investment limits 1 Securities sold through repos must continue to be taken into account when ensuring compliance with the statutory and regulatory investment restrictions. 2 Money claims acquired through reverse repos must continue to be taken into account when ensuring compliance with the statutory and regulatory investment restrictions. 8 SR SR
9 FINMA Collective Investment Schemes Ordinance Art. 24 Inventory, statement of net assets, or balance sheet and profit and loss account 1 Securities sold through repos must be denoted as being "used in repo" in the inventory of the securities fund's assets and must continue to be included in the statement of net assets, or the balance sheet. 2 Money obligations arising from repos must be disclosed in the statement of net assets, or the balance sheet, under "Liabilities from repurchase agreements" at the value assigned on the calculation date based on the assumption of a linear development in value. 3 In the case of repos, repo interest must be disclosed in the profit and loss account under "Interest payable". 4 Securities purchased through reverse repos are not included in the inventory of the securities fund's assets, nor in the statement of net assets, or the balance sheet. 5 Money claims arising from reverse repos must be disclosed in the statement of net assets, or the balance sheet, under "Claims from repurchase agreements" at the value assigned on the calculation date based on the assumption of a linear development in value. 6 In the case of reverse repos, repo interest must be disclosed in the profit and loss account under "Income from reverse repos". Section 3: Derivative Financial Instruments (Art. 56 para. 3 CISA and Art. 72 CISO 10 ) Art. 25 Definition 1 Pursuant to Article 56 of the Act, derivative financial instruments (derivatives) are defined as instruments the value of which is derived from investments defined in Article 70 paragraph 1 letters a d CISO 11 or from financial indices, interest rates, loans, exchange rates or currencies. 2 Derivatives may be structured as follows: a. linear or non-linear; b. symmetrical or asymmetrical; c. standardised or non-standardised (customised); d. a security (warrant) or a right. 3 They may be traded on an exchange or another regulated market open to the public or over the counter (OTC) 4 In this section: 10 SR SR
10 Credit Institutions a. "underlying" means an investment, financial index, interest rate, loan, exchange rate or currency on which a derivative is based; b. "delta" means a change in the price of an option when the underlying moves one unit in price (sensitivity); c. "basic type of derivative" means: 1. a call or put option, the expiration value of which is linearly dependent on the positive or negative difference between the market value of the underlying and the strike price and is zero if the difference is preceded by the opposite algebraic sign, 2. a credit default swap (CDS), 3. a swap, the payments of which are dependent on the value of the underlying or on an absolute amount in both a linear and a path-independent manner, 4. a future or forward transaction the value of which is linearly dependent on the value of the underlying; d. "exposure-increasing" means derivative exposure, the financial effect of which is similar to the purchase of an underlying (e.g. the purchase of a call option, purchase of a future, sale of a put option, exchanging of variable for fixed interest payments or the conclusion of a credit default swap as protection seller); e. "exposure-reducing" means a derivative exposure the financial effect of which is similar to the sale of an underlying (e.g. the sale of a call option, sale of a future, purchase of a put option, exchanging of fixed for variable interest payments or the conclusion of a credit default swap as secured party); f. "exotic derivative" means a derivative with a mode of operation that cannot be described as a basic form of derivative or a combination of basic forms of derivatives (e.g. path-dependent option, option with several factors or option with contract modifications); g. "forward" means a non-standardised forward transaction concluded on an OTC basis whose price fluctuations can only be offset on closing out or maturity; h. "future" means a standardised forward transaction traded on a stock exchange or other regulated market open to the public, the market value of which is determined daily and the value fluctuations of which are offset daily (marked to market); i. "gamma" means a change in the delta of an option when the underlying moves one unit in price (sensitivity); j. "contract value" means: 1. in the case of a swap, the product of the nominal value of the underlying and the multiplier, 2. in the case of all other derivatives, the product of the underlying's market value and the multiplier; 10
11 FINMA Collective Investment Schemes Ordinance k. "credit derivative" means an agreement whereby one party (secured party) transfers credit risks to a counterparty (protection seller); l. "multiplier" means a: number of underlyings which are contained in a derivatives contract (contract size); m. "OTC (over the counter)" means the conclusion of transactions off an exchange or any other regulated market which is open to the public; n. "path dependence" means a derivative's dependence on the overall performance of the underlying (path) during the term of the derivative (e.g. lookback option); o. "swap" means an agreement to exchange payments on specified future dates or if an event occurs. The amount of an individual payment is either fixed or based on the value of one or more underlyings (variable); p. "synthetic liquidity" means underlyings the market risk and possible credit risk of which are hedged with symmetric derivatives; q. "vega" means a change in the price of an option when the volatility of the underlying moves by one unit (sensitivity); r. "interest rate derivative" means a derivative on a bond, interest rate or index etc. Art. 26 Principles 1 Derivatives may be used for the efficient management of the assets of a securities fund. 2 Derivatives may be used only: a. if, even in exceptional market conditions, the effect of using derivatives does not result in a deviation from the investment objectives set out in the fund regulations, prospectus and simplified prospectus or in a change in the investment character of the securities fund; and b. the underlyings of the derivatives are permissible instruments according to the regulations governing the securities fund. 3 A securities fund s overall exposure in derivatives may not exceed 100 percent of its net assets and its overall exposure may not exceed a total of 200 percent of its net assets. Taking into account the possibility of a temporary loan amounting to no more than 10 percent of net assets, the overall exposure may not exceed 210 percent of the total net assets of a securities fund. 4 The fund management company or SICAV shall ensure that it can meet the payment and delivery obligations for the derivatives at all times. Art. 27 Conditions for the use of derivatives 1 The fund management company or SICAV and its agents may only use derivatives if: a. they have an appropriate organisational structure; 11
12 Credit Institutions b. they have adequate risk controls and an adequate risk management; c. the persons entrusted with processing and monitoring are suitably qualified and understand the effects of the derivatives used; and d. they have the technical tools to ensure the proper use of the derivatives, specifically in terms of risk control, risk management, and valuation. 2 The fund management company or SICAV shall regulate the use of derivatives in a set of internal guidelines. These shall be reviewed at least once a year. 3 In accordance with the structure and risks of the fund management company or SICAV, such internal guidelines shall cover the following: a. Organisation: 1. Organisational structures and procedures, 2. Internal control system (ICS) and compliance, 3. Instruction, monitoring and managing of agents, 4. Approval of the guidelines; b. Risk control and management: 1. Measuring, controlling and managing the risks, 2. Authorities and limits, 3. Risk assessment procedures and stress tests, 4. Method of verifying risk assessment models (in particular VaR), 5. Chain of command in the event of limit overruns and unsatisfactory results of verification tests, 6. Composition of benchmark portfolios and changes to the same; c. Risk policy: 1. Admissible derivatives, 2. Requirements to be met by counterparties, 3. Market liquidity requirements, 4. Requirements in terms of representation and correlation: in relation to the use of index products, in relation to the netting of counter positions and in relation to holding other investments to cover for physical delivery obligations; d. Processing and valuation: 1. Documentation of transactions, 2. Valuation models to be used, 3. Data and data suppliers to be used. Art. 28 Umbrella funds, structured products and warrants 1 The provisions in this section apply to the individual securities funds or, in the case of an umbrella fund, to each individual subfund. 12
13 FINMA Collective Investment Schemes Ordinance 2 In order to comply with the statutory and regulatory provisions for risk diversification, the underlying and the issue of a structured product must be taken into account. 3 If a structured product has one or more derivative components, these must be treated in accordance with the provisions of this section and documented clearly. 4 Warrants must be treated as derivatives in accordance with the provisions of this section. An option belonging to a warrant bond is deemed a warrant. Art. 29 Credit derivatives 1 As defined in Article 77 paragraph 1 letter a CISO 12., an exposure-increasing credit derivative is not deemed a guarantee. 2 The debtor of reference of a credit derivative must have outstanding equity or debt securities or rights to equity or debts that are traded on an exchange or another regulated market open to the public. Art. 30 Exotic derivatives 1 The fund management company or SICAV may only use an exotic derivative if: a. it can calculate the minimum and maximum delta across the entire price spectrum of the underlyings; and b. it understands the derivative's mode of operation as well as the factors that influence its pricing. 2 In the case of simple securities funds, where the commitment approach II is applied, the exotic derivative must be weighted according to its maximum possible delta (absolute value) when converted to its underlying equivalent pursuant to Article 38 paragraph 1. Moreover, it must be covered as follows: a. If the maximum delta is positive, it must, weighted at the maximum delta, be covered at all times by highly liquid assets pursuant to Article 37 paragraph 5. b. If the minimum delta is negative, it must, weighted at the minimum delta, be covered at all times by corresponding underlyings. 3 In the case of complex securities funds, it must be possible for the risk assessment model used to reflect the exotic derivative in accordance with its risk. 4 If the maximum delta of the exotic derivative is positive, it must be weighted by such maximum delta in order to comply with the statutory and regulatory maximum limits (Art. 48 para. 1). If the minimum delta is negative, it must be weighted by this minimum delta in order to comply with the regulatory minimum limits (Art. 48 para. 2). 12 SR
14 Credit Institutions Art. 31 Conclusion of the contract 1 The fund management company or SICAV shall conclude derivative transactions on an exchange or other regulated market which is open to the public. 2 OTC transactions are permitted, provided the conditions stipulated in Articles 32 and 33 are met. Art. 32 OTC transactions 1 OTC transactions may only be concluded on the basis of a standardised framework agreement which complies with the pertinent international standards. 2 The counterparty must: a. be a regulated financial intermediary specialised in such types of transactions; b. ensure proper execution of the contract; and c. meet the credit rating requirements stipulated in Article 33 paragraph 1. 3 It must be possible to reliably and verifiably value an OTC derivative on a daily basis and to sell or close out the derivative at market value at any time. 4 If the market price for an OTC-traded derivative is not available: a. it must be possible to determine the price at any time using appropriate valuation models that are recognised in practice, based on the market value of the underlyings; b. before concluding such transactions, specific offers must be obtained from at least two potential counterparties and the most favourable offer must be accepted, under due consideration of price, credit rating, risk distribution and the range of services offered by the counterparties; and c. the conclusion of the transaction and pricing must be clearly documented. Art. 33 Credit rating 1 In the case of OTC transactions, the counterparty or its guarantor shall have at least the following current credit rating from a rating agency recognised by FINMA: a. for commitments of up to one year, the highest short-term rating ("P1" or equivalent); b. for commitments of more than one year, a long-term rating of at least "A-", "A3" or equivalent. 2 If the rating of a counterparty or guarantor falls below the required minimum rating, the positions that are still open are to be closed out within a reasonable period in such a way as to ensure that the interests of the investors are safeguarded. 3 The requirements stipulated in Paragraph 1 do not apply to the custodian bank of the securities fund. 14
15 FINMA Collective Investment Schemes Ordinance Art. 34 Valuation 1 Derivatives for which market prices are available shall be valued at the current prices paid on the main market. Prices are to be obtained from an external source specialising in this type of transaction and which operates independently of the fund management company or SICAV and its agents. 2 If no current market price is available for derivatives, it must be possible to determine the price at any time using appropriate valuation models that are recognised in practice, based on the market value of the underlyings. Valuations are to be documented clearly. Art. 35 Risk control 1 Risk controls permit the fund management company or SICAV to assess and monitor on an adequate basis the risk of each individual position of the securities fund as well as its overall risk. 2 The duties of the risk control function and the units entrusted with the investment decisions must be segregated functionally. Art. 36 Risk assessment process 1 In the case of simple securities funds, the fund management company or SICAV shall apply commitment approach I or II. 2 In the case of complex securities funds, it shall apply the model approach and conduct stress tests. This requires the approval of FINMA. 3 It shall align the risk assessment process used with the investment objectives, the investment policy as well as the risk profile of the securities fund in question. Art. 37 Commitment approach I 1 For a simple securities fund applying the commitment approach I, only basic derivative types are permitted. 2 Exposure-reducing derivatives must at all times be covered by the relevant underlyings. If the delta has been calculated, it may be taken into account when calculating the necessary underlyings. Article 45 paragraph 3 also applies mutatis mutandis. 3 Covering with other investments is permitted if the exposure-reducing derivative is indexed by an independent external office. The index must be representative of the underlyings and there must be an adequate correlation between the index and such investments. 4 The underlying equivalents (Art. 38 para. 1) of exposure-increasing derivatives must at all times be covered by highly liquid assets. 5 The following assets are considered highly liquid: a. liquid assets as defined in Article 75 CISO 13 ; 13 SR
16 Credit Institutions b. money market instruments as defined in Article 74 CISO; c. collective investment schemes which invest exclusively in liquid assets or money market instruments; d. debt securities and rights with a time remaining till maturity of maximum twelve months and the issuer or guarantor of which meets the credit rating requirements stipulated in Article 33 Paragraph 1 ; e. synthetic liquidity; f. credit limits accorded to, but not used by, the securities fund, in line with the statutory and regulatory maximum investment limits; g. withholding tax credits as confirmed by the Swiss Federal Tax Administration. Art. 38 Commitment approach II 1 The derivative positions of a simple securities fund applying commitment approach II must be converted to their underlying equivalents as follows: a. futures, forwards and swaps: using the product of the number of contracts and the contract value; b. options: taking the product of the number of contracts, the contract value and the delta. Where no delta has been calculated, a delta of one shall be applied. 2 Counterpositions in derivatives with the same underlying and in investments in such underlying may be netted with one another. Counterpositions of different underlyings may only be netted with one another if they are similar in terms of market, credit and currency risk and are highly correlative. 3 Call options sold and put options purchased may only be included in the netting process if their delta has been calculated. 4 The derivatives must be broken down into the three risk categories of market, credit and currency risk. Derivatives entailing risks in more than one category must be included in each of these risk categories with their underlying equivalent. 5 For each risk category, the absolute amounts of the underlying equivalents of the derivatives of a securities fund must be added together, subject to any netting in accordance with paragraph 2. None of the three risk categories may exhibit a sum of the underlying equivalents exceeding the net asset value of a securities fund. 6 All calculations must be clearly documented. Art. 39 Model approach a. Principles of value-at-risk (VaR) 1 Applying the model approach, the fund management company or SICAV shall estimate the risks for a complex securities fund as value-at-risk (VaR). 2 The model must be fully documented. The documentation must in particular provide information about the specification of the risk assessment model, backtesting and stress tests. 16
17 FINMA Collective Investment Schemes Ordinance 3 The fund management company or SICAV shall verify the suitability of the model on a periodic basis, but at least once a year. The results must be clearly documented. 4 The VaR of a securities fund may at no time exceed twice the VaR of the benchmark portfolio of such securities fund. Art. 40 b. Calculation of value-at-risk (VaR) 1 The VaR may be determined using variance/covariance models, historical simulations and Monte-Carlo simulations. 2 The VaR must be calculated daily on the basis of the previous day's positions using the following parameters: a. a 99th percentile, one-tailed confidence interval; b. a holding period of 20 trading days. 3 The observation period for forecasting future changes or the volatility of risk factors (including the correlations between them) which forms the basis for the VaR calculation must be at least one year. 4 The VaR factors in interest rate risk, currency risk, share price risk and commodity risks. The following must also be taken into account: a. gamma and vega risks in the case of option positions; b. specific risks in the form of residual risks and event and default risks in the case of equity and interest rate instruments. 5 The calculations must be clearly documented. Art. 41 c. Benchmark portfolio 1 The benchmark portfolio of a securities fund is a portfolio without derivatives. 2 The composition of the benchmark portfolio corresponds to the information in the fund regulations, prospectus and simplified prospectus of the securities fund, specifically concerning its investment objectives, investment policy and limits. 3 It must be reviewed periodically, but at least once a quarter. The respective composition and any changes thereto must be documented clearly. 4 Where a benchmark, such as an equity index, is defined in the fund regulations or in the prospectus and simplified prospectus, it may be used for calculating the VaR. The benchmark must be: a. derivative-free; b. calculated by an independent, external office; and c. representative of the investment objectives, investment policy and limits of the securities fund. 5 If it is not possible to construct a representative benchmark portfolio on the basis of the specific investment objectives and investment policy of a securities fund, a VaR 17
18 Credit Institutions limit may be agreed upon with FINMA. This must be stated in the prospectus and simplified prospectus. Art. 42 d. Reviewing the risk assessment model 1 In the case of a complex securities fund, the forecast quality of the risk assessment model must be examined by comparing the actual changes in the value of its net assets during the course of a trading day with the relevant one-day VaR (backtesting). 2 The comparison must be documented clearly. 3 The sample to be used must be compiled from the previous 250 observations. 4 If backtesting shows the risk assessment model to be impracticable, the audit company 14 and FINMA must be notified forthwith. 5 If backtesting produces more than six anomalies, the practicability of the risk assessment model must be examined in depth and the audit company and FINMA notified forthwith. 6 If the model is impracticable, FINMA may demand a swift rectification of any shortcomings of the model and order tighter restrictions on the risk. Art. 43 e. Stress tests 1 In the case of complex securities funds, extreme market circumstances must be simulated periodically, but at least monthly (stress tests). 2 The stress tests must include all risk factors which may have a material influence on the market value of the securities fund. Special attention must be paid to risk factors which are not or only insufficiently taken into account by the risk assessment model. 3 The results of the conducted stress tests must be clearly documented. Art. 44 f. Changes under the model approach 1 FINMA may allow variances from the requirements stipulated in Articles It may permit the use of other risk assessment models, provided they afford an appropriate degree of protection. 3 If changes are made to the risk assessment model, backtesting or stress tests, these changes must be submitted to FINMA for approval in advance. 14 Expression in accordance with No I 1 of the FINMA Ordinance of 20 Nov on the Harmonisation of Ordinances issued by the Authorities with the Financial Market Supervision Act, in force since 1 Jan (AS ). This amendment has been made throughout the text. 18
19 FINMA Collective Investment Schemes Ordinance Art. 45 Cover for a physical delivery obligation 1 If the fund management company or SICAV enters into a physical delivery obligation in respect of a derivative, this derivative must be covered by the corresponding underlyings. 2 Covering the physical delivery obligation with other investments is permitted if: a. the associated risks, such as market, currency and interest risks, are similar to those of the underlying being delivered; b. the investments and the underlyings are highly correlative; and c. the investments and the underlyings are highly liquid and, if delivery is requested, they may be purchased or sold at any time. 3 The fund management company or SICAV must have unrestricted access to these underlyings or investments at all times. 4 Underlyings may be used to cover several derivative positions simultaneously if these are exposed to a market risk, credit risk or currency risk and are based on the same underlyings. Art. 46 Covering a payment obligation 1 If the fund management company or SICAV enters into a payment obligation in respect of a derivative, this payment obligation must at all times be covered by highly liquid assets as defined in Article 37 paragraph 5. 2 In the case of securities funds applying commitment approach II or the model approach, the following shall additionally be recognised as cover: a. debt securities and rights the remaining time to maturity of which is more than twelve months and whose issuer or guarantor meets the credit rating requirements pursuant to Article 33 paragraph 1; b. Shares traded on an exchange or another regulated market open to the public. 3 It must be possible at all times to turn collateral as defined in paragraph 2 into liquid assets within seven banking days. 4 Shares may only be included at market value less a security margin. This security margin must take account of the volatility of the corresponding share and must amount to at least 15 percent. 5 Highly liquid assets and investments may be used to cover several derivative positions simultaneously if these are exposed to a market or currency risk and relate to the same underlyings. 6 If an investment may require an additional payment, it is deemed an obligation to pay. 19
20 Credit Institutions Art. 47 General inclusion rules 1 With regard to compliance with statutory and regulatory investment restrictions (maximum and minimum limits), the following must be taken into account: a. investments, including derivatives, in accordance with Article 70 CISO 15 ; b. liquid assets as defined in Article 75 CISO; c. claims against counterparties arising from OTC transactions. 2 Pursuant to Article 82 CISO, exceptions may be made for index funds. 3 By way of derogation from Article 67 paragraph 2 CISO, any overrun of an investment limit due to a change in the delta must be rectified within three banking days; the rectification must ensure that the investors interests remain safeguarded. Art. 48 Inclusion of derivatives 1 In complying with the statutory and regulatory maximum limits, and in particular the regulations on risk diversification, derivatives must be factored in as follows: a. purchased futures and forwards or the exposure-increasing side of swaps: by using the product of the number of contracts and the contract value; b. sold futures and forwards or the exposure-reducing side of swaps: by using the product of the number of contracts (negative) and the contract value; c. purchased call options: by using the product of the number of contracts, the contract value and the delta. Where no delta is calculated, a delta of one must be taken; d. sold call options must not be included; e. purchased put options: by taking the product of the number of contracts, the contract value and the delta (negative). If no delta is calculated, no delta may be included; f. s old put options: by taking the product of the number of contracts and the contract value. 2 Derivatives must be factored in as follows in complying with the regulatory minimum limits: a. purchased futures and forwards or the exposure-increasing side of swaps: by using the product of the number of contracts and the contract value; b. sold futures and forwards or the exposure-reducing side of swaps: by using the product of the number of contracts (negative) and the contract value; c. purchased call options: by using the product of the number of contracts, the contract value and the delta. If no delta is calculated, no delta may be included; d. sold call options: by using the product of the number of contracts, the contract value and minus one; 15 SR
21 FINMA Collective Investment Schemes Ordinance e. purchased put options: by using the product of the number of contracts, the contract value and the delta (negative). If no delta is calculated, a delta of minus one must be used; f. sold put options may not be included. 3 A minimum limit may be temporarily undercut with exposure-reducing derivatives purchased as part of a hedging strategy if the interests of investors remain safeguarded. Art. 49 Inclusion of claims against counterparties 1 Claims against counterparties arising from derivative transactions must be calculated on the basis of the current positive replacement values and a security margin of 5 percent on the latter. 2 Positive and negative replacement values (including security margin) arising from transactions in derivatives with the same counterparty may be netted if a netting agreement complying with Article 12f of the Banking Ordinance of 17 May exists with such counterparty. 3 Claims arising from derivative transactions against a central clearing unit of an exchange or another regulated market open to the public must not be taken into account if: a. such a unit is subject to an appropriate supervisory body; and b. the contracts and collateral are subject to daily marking to market and daily margining. Art. 50 Disclosure 1 If the use of derivatives is permitted for the management of a securities fund, such derivatives must be described in the fund regulations, prospectus and simplified prospectus. 2 The prospectus and simplified prospectus must indicate whether the derivatives are used as part of the investment strategy or solely to hedge investment positions. In addition, the prospectus must explain how the use of derivatives affects the risk profile of the securities fund. 3 The fund regulations, prospectus and simplified prospectus must state whether the securities fund is simple or complex, and which risk assessment process is applied. The risk assessment process must also be described in the prospectus and simplified prospectus. 4 If a securities fund exhibits increased volatility or leverage due to the use of derivatives, special reference must be made to this in the prospectus, simplified prospectus and advertising material. 16 SR
22 Credit Institutions 5 Reference must be made to the counterparty risks of derivatives in the prospectus and simplified prospectus. Chapter 2: Other Funds for Traditional Investments Art The provisions for securities funds regarding securities lending (Art. 1 et seq.), repurchase agreements (Art. 11 et seq.) and derivatives (Art. 25 et seq.) also apply to other funds for traditional investments. 2 This is subject to Article 100 CISO FINMA may grant exemptions from these requirements (Art. 101 CISO). Title 2: Accounting, Valuation, Financial Statements and Duty to Publish Chapter 1: Accounting Section 1: General Provisions Art. 52 Principles (Art. 87 and 91 CISA) 1 Unless the CISA and this Ordinance provide otherwise, the following applies in respect of accounting: a. the provisions on commercial accounting (Art of the Code of Obligations 18, CO); b. the principles of recognised financial reporting (Art. 662a CO). 2 Accounting must comply with the statutory requirements for annual and semiannual reports (Art. 89 et seq. CISA) and be conducted in such a way that the accounts provide a true and fair view of the financial situation and income. 3 Transactions, including off-balance-sheet transactions, must be recognised immediately after conclusion of the contract. 4 They must be recorded in such a way that they can be comprehended and verified by the audit company and FINMA. 5 Underlyings relating to derivative financial instruments, securities lending and repurchase transactions must be denoted as such in the inventory. 6 The accounting must take account of the tax law requirements. 17 SR SR
23 FINMA Collective Investment Schemes Ordinance Art. 53 Unit of account (Art. 26 para. 3 let. l, 44 and 108 CISA) 1 A foreign currency may be designated as the unit of account for: a. an investment fund or its subfunds in the fund regulations; b. the subfunds of a SICAV in the investment regulations; c. a limited partnership for collective investment in the partnership agreement. 2 In its investment regulations, a SICAV must also specify the currency which will serve as the unit of account for the overall accounts pursuant to Article 71, as well as the conversion process. Section 2: Open-Ended Collective Investment Schemes Art. 54 Subfunds and unit classes (Art CISA, Art. 112 and 113 CISO 19 ) 1 In the case of collective investment schemes which include subfunds, the provisions of this title apply to each individual subfund. 2 The subfunds must be presented separately in the annual and semi-annual reports. 3 The accounting year ends on the same date for all subfunds. 4 In the case of unit classes, the net asset value must be disclosed for each class. Art. 55 Control of units and unit certificates (Art. 11 and 73 para. 1 CISA) 1 The custodian bank shall record the issue and redemption of units, including fractions thereof, on a continuous basis. It shall record the following details: a. the date of issue or redemption; b. the number of units issued or redeemed; c. the gross amount paid by the investor or net payment made to the investor; d. the fees and incidental costs in relation to the issue or redemption; e. the amount credited or debited to the collective investment scheme; f. the net asset value of the unit. 2 In the case of registered units, the identity of the investor must also be recorded. 3 The custodian bank shall record the issue and redemption of unit certificates separately. 19 SR