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Jurisdictional Variances for AIFMD Annex IV Reporting

Written by Caitlin Gibbons | Dec 12, 2018 5:00:00 AM

There is a variety of different reporting jurisdictions based on AIFM domiciles, which can create confusion and difficulty when submitting reports due to the different formats accepted and variation in submission portals. On top of that, some jurisdictions have different deadlines – meaning, if you are a manager that files to more than one jurisdiction, you may have two slightly different deadline dates and are therefore at risk of missing one.

In the below article, we’ll look at some common jurisdictions and give details on the submission formats accepted, submission dates and any other relevant information. The most common jurisdictions filed to (based off of the ESMA register) include the United Kingdom, France, Luxembourg, Germany and Spain. Less-common jurisdictions include Bulgaria, Portugal and Slovenia.

The most common jurisdiction to which AIFMD is filed is the United Kingdom. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), formed in 2013, is the regulator involved in the UK’s filing. It often releases publications to illustrate any changes to the submission process or to outline common errors seen across AIFMs. GABRIEL is the filing system used by the FCA, and submission is in the form of a v1.2 XML. The naming conventions for UK filings are fairly simple, with the AIFM file being called AIF001 and the AIF file called AIF002. In terms of deadlines, the FCA allows one calendar month (or the following business day if this falls on a weekend) and 45 days for fund of funds. SS&C is a registered with the FCA as an independent software vendor.

The second most common jurisdiction to which AIFMD is filed is France, where the regulator is the Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF). The filing system used here is called GECO and, like the FCA, it accepts submission in XML v1.2 format. Unlike the FCA, submission to the AMF requires more complicated naming conventions: An AIFMD identifier is used, followed by either DATMAN for the AIFM or DATAIF for the AIF, then followed by the upload instance, and finally the year of upload. The AMF does not currently allow system-to-system submission via ISVs, but it does allow for secure FTP upload as an alternative to the XML upload on GECO. The deadline for submission to the AMF is one calendar month.

When filing to Luxembourg, the regulator responsible is the Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier (CSSF). The CSSF uses two electronic filing systems: E-File from FundSquare (a subsidiary of Bourse Group) and SOFiE SORT – ATLAS from the CETRELSecurities S.A. The CSSF allows one calendar month and 45-days for fund of funds like the FCA; however, they do not allow an additional business day if this deadline falls on a weekend. The CSSF also accepts submission in XML v1.2 format, and the only way to submit is via the electronic filing systems (no FTP or direct connectivity is available). Submission requires very specific naming conventions using national codes allocated by the CSSF for both the manager and the fund. This means if you are filing to the AMF and CSSF two different but very specific naming conventions will need to be used.

Another regulator that is commonly filed to is the German regulator BaFin. The filing system used is the BaFin internal portal and, like the CSSF, XML file transmission is the only means of submission. The deadline for filing to BaFin is one calendar month or 45 days for fund of funds. As with the CSSF, no additional business days are given if this falls on a weekend. Again, a v1.2 XML is the accepted submission format and the naming conventions are specific, though simpler than the CSSF or AMF. For AIFMs, the name will be “AIFM_” followed by free text, and for AIFs this will be “AIF_” followed by free text. A key thing to note with the BaFin submission is that processing can take a few days, so being proactive and filing before the deadline can help to avoid any confusion around late submissions due to processing time.

As evidenced above, most jurisdictions accept v1.2 XML as the method of submission. However, there are some exceptions to this rule, which can again make submission more onerous for managers filing to multiple jurisdictions – for example, Hungary requires the data to be submitted in CAP or ERA format.

There are numerous other jurisdictions that can be filed to with their own set of rules (see appendix for a more extensive list), and keeping on top of these is crucial. SS&C has a strong understanding and relationships with most regulators and can help you to ensure all your filing requirements are met.

 

Appendix

Jurisdiction Filing System Submission Format Deadline Convention Other Information
United Kingdom - Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Gabriel XML v1.2 (AIF001.xml for AIFM and AIF002.xml for AIF) 1 Calendar month (+1 business day if weekend). 45 days if FoF. SS&C can submit directly to the FCA – registered as an ISV. FCA question numbers do not correspond to ESMAs.
Luxembourg- Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier (CSSF) E-File & SOFiE SORT – ATLAS XML v1.2. Very specific naming conventions using national codes. 1 Calendar month. 45 days if FoF. Can only file via FundSquare or Cetrel Securities
France - Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF) GECO XML v1.2. Specific naming conventions using identifiers and year 1 Calendar month XML must be zipped before upload and can be uploaded via GECO or via the set-up of a secure FTP.

Denmark -Finanstilsynet

FIONA Danish XML v1.2 No specific naming convention 1 Calendar month (-1 business day if weekend) Some extra information is required for the Denmark Filings.
Sweden - Finansinspektionen FI Periodic Reporting Portal XML v1.2. No specific naming convention 1 Calendar month (+1 business day if weekend) As of Jan 2018 the Periodic Reporting Portal was implemented – previously used card readers.
Germany – BaFin BaFin Internal Portal XML v1.2. Simple naming convention 1 Calendar month. 45 days if FoF Processing can take a few days.
Ireland – Central Bank of Ireland ONR XML v1.2. National code followed by date and then AIF or AIM 1 Calendar month (+1 business day if weekend) In order to pass validation, excel workbooks must be protected.
Hungary - Pénzügyi Szervek Állami Felügyelete (PSZAF) Email CAP ERA. No specific naming conventions 30 days only If sending an excel file – this must be in a very specific format.
Finland - Finanssivalvonta (Financial Supervisory Authority (FIN-FSA)) Jakelu Distribution service XML v1.2. Very specific naming conventions to be used 1 Calendar month (+1 business day if weekend) A reporting institution may create reports using its own methods and submit these reports via email.
Austria -  Finanzmarktaufsicht Österreich (FMA) Incoming Platform XML v1.2. Use national codes in naming convention 30 days (+1 business day if weekend). 45 days if FoF Incoming Platform is available in German only

Norway -Finanstilsynet

ALTINN XML v1.2. Simply naming convention 1 Calendar month. 45 days if FoF Submission is possible via a secure FTP
Bulgaria - Financial Supervision Commission Email Excel format or hard-copy 30 days only Email must be in .zip format.