1.) The Offshore Regulatory Environment Flashcards
Define a crown dependency’s relationship with the U.K
The crown dependencies recognise the queen as their head of state, but their governments and judicial systems are independent.
Whilst the dependencies aren’t subject to UK laws, they’ve usually introduced similar legislation to that on the mainland, regarding civil and criminal laws
The British government is responsible for managing the international interests of the dependencies in relation to their dealings with large international organisations, e.g. The UN or EU
The British government is also responsible for the defence of the crown dependencies
Other than militarily and internationally, the crown dependencies can be considered independent, self-governing countries
Define the three possible avenues open to a foreign services provider under the U.K. Financial Services Act 1986 to provide investment services into the UK (Under Sections 86, 87 and 88 of the Act, respectively)
UCITS - Undertakings for Collective Investments in Transferrable Securities
Designated Territory status
Apply for authorisation
Define the acronym UCITS
Undertaking for Collective Investments in Transferrable Securities
Describe the JFSC’s key purpose and aims
REDUCING RISK/SAFEGUARDING/PROTECTING/COUNTERING
The JFSC’s key purpose is to maintain Jersey’s position as an international finance centre with high regulatory standards by:
X Reducing risk to the public of financial loss due to dishonesty, impotence, malpractice or the financial unsoundness of financial services providers
X Protecting and enhancing the Island’s reputation and integrity in commercial and financial matters
X Safeguarding the Island’s best economic interests
X Countering financial crime both in Jersey and elsewhere
Aims:
Ensure that all entities are authorised meet fit and proper criteria
Ensure that all regulated entities are operating within accepted standards of good regulatory practice
Match International standards in respect of banking security, trust company business, insurance regulation, anti-money laundering (AML) and terrorist financing defences (CFT)
Identify and deter abuse and breaches of regulator standards
Ensure that the JFSC operates effectively and efficiently, and is accountable to the States of Jersey
What are regulated businesses, in relation to the JFSC?
Businesses that the JFSC has prudential oversight of, such as:
Banks (e.g. Via work in the areas of AML, CFT and sanctions)
Insurance companies
General insurance mediation businesses
Investment businesses (managers, dealers and advisers)
Trust company business (trust and company service providers)
Money service businesses (bureau de change and money transmitters)
Fund products
Define the ‘4 regulatory laws’ that form the legal basis for the JFSC’s oversight of regulated businesses
REMEMBER BIFC
Banking (Jersey) Law 1991
Insurance Business (Jersey) Law 1996
Financial Services (Jersey) Law 1998 (FS(J)L)
Collective Investment Funds (Jersey) Law 1988
What do the ‘4 regulatory laws’ that form the legal basis for the JFSC’s oversight of regulated businesses in Jersey allow the JFSC to do?
The four regulatory laws give the JFSC the power to:
(When combined with the Commission Law) Conduct off- and on-site supervision of regulated businesses
Various tools and powers to ensure it can carry out effective supervision.
Require the provision of information and documents
Conduct investigations
Enter and search premises (with a warrant)
Revoke a regulated business’ license
Refuse to license an applicant
Set conditions on a license
Issue directions requiring a regulated business to take (or not take) specific action
Appoint a manager to manage a regulated business
Issue public statements that warn the public and/or censure the regulated business
The four regulatory laws also provide for criminal offences to be committed where (inter alia) a person conducts a financial services business without the relevant license from the JFSC, or provides false/misleading info to the JFSC
The JFSC has used powers under the four regulatory laws to issue codes of practice that set standards regulated businesses must meet. E.g. the codes set conduct of business rules and financial resource requirements
What is the purpose of the Jersey’s AML/CFT handbook, as issued and maintained by the JFSC?
Setting regulatory requirements on regulated businesses to support those set out in legislation (the Money Laundering (Jersey) Order 2008)
What is the JFCU, the joint financial crimes unit
Jersey’s joint police/customs Financial Intelligence Unit
The JFSC has entered into MoU’s on regulatory matters with numerous fellow regulatory authorities. What do these memoranda cover?
Regulatory assistance to be given in the context of:
New applications for licensing by financial institutions
Investigations into regulatory offences, e.g. insider dealing
General inquiries that are relevant to the fitness and properness of registered institutions
List the various international organisations that the JFSC is either a member of or associated with
IOSCO - the international organisation of securities commissions (member)
OGIS - the offshore group of insurance supervisors, (member)
IAIS - the international association of insurance supervisors, (member)
GIFCS - the group of international finance centre supervisors. Via its membership of the GIFCS, the JFSC works with:
x BIS - the Basel committee on banking supervision
x FATF - the financial action task force (on money laundering)
OECD - the organisation for economic cooperation and development, via the UK’s membership and official declaration of the Island’s association, dated 19 July 1990
The United Nations global programme against money laundering (participant)
How did the JFSC become an associate of the OECD?
Via the UK’s membership and official declaration of the Island’s association, dated 19 July 1990
What’s the OECD’s purpose in relation to financial regulation?
The OECD examines the issues associated with tax havens and harmful tax practices
What are the main objectives of the OECD?
Set global tax standards
Require all whitelisted financial centres to sign their commitment to cooperation with internal and external agencies to deter money laundering, tax evasion and fraud
How does the OECD define a tax haven?
A financial centre that accepts and actively encourages international investors and provides a variety of services that will provide income and/or capital gains, which disadvantages other financial centres
International investors can take advantage of the tax regime that in most cases will result in income being received gross of tax (no tax taken off at source)
How does the OECD define harmful tax practices?
In the differentiation between the tax applicable to local people and resident companies, and that levied on foreign investors but unavailable to locals
How was Jersey removed from the OECD’s tax haven blacklist?
In 1998, the OECD listed 35 countries as tax havens, reporting that they had harmful tax competition
In order to not be blacklisted, or to be removed from the blacklist, the offshore finance centre (OFC ) had to agree to implement global tax standards
The Channel Islands signed international cooperation agreements in July 2001. This and other measures meant that Jersey was removed from the blacklist in early 2002
Any country that is considered uncooperative will be blacklisted and may be subject to defensive measures
Describe the FATF and its purpose
Set up in 1989 by the G7 countries
An organisation specialising in the fight against money laundering (AML)
The objectives of the FATF are to set standards and promote effective implementation of legal, regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering, terrorist financing and other related threats to the integrity of the international financial system.
33 member states, including:
France
Germany
Italy
Australia
Ireland
Iceland
UK
Switzerland
Summarise the FATF’s recommendations
Countries:
X Countries should implement AML programmes, including the introduction of legislation to criminalise money laundering and enable confiscation of property associated with this financial crime
X Mutual assistance and cooperation amongst governments for exchange of info on suspicious transactions, and also when investigations are taking place, and also action for a government to seize or freeze assets upon request from foreign countries
Financial Institutions:
X All financial institutions should properly identify their clients by reference to official documents, such as passports, and should not authorise the operation of anonymous accounts, known as the accounts of strangers. Where possible, the financial institution should make personal face-to-face contact with all customers
X Financial institutions should also put in place appropriate systems so as to be able to detect suspicious transactions, such as unusually large transactions which are unusual for the customer, and not in line with expected business transactions
X Financial institutions should also have procedures for reporting suspicions to the authorities
X Employees and financial institutions should be immune from prosecution for disclosure of confidential facts, even if the parties didn’t have knowledge of the underlying financial crime, or even if none had been committed
Name several of the experts involved in the fight against money laundering
FATF member representatives
The world bank
The IMF
Interpol
Name several regional groups and countries or governments with specialist financial crime units
The EU
The Caribbean financial action task force
The Asia Pacific group
The organisation of American states
GIFCS
List some of the countries included in the GIFCS
Note that the GIFCS is affiliated to FATF
Bermuda
Hong Kong
Jersey
Guernsey
Isle of Man
Malta
Gibraltar
Cyprus
Barbados
Bahrain
Define the leading offshore finance centres according to FATF, and why they were chosen
The leading offshore centres of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man have been assessed as category 1, the best category, on par with Hong Kong, Singapore and Switzerland
FATF concluded in June 2000 that the above leading offshore finance centres (OFCs) were considered to be cooperative and have comprehensive AML systems in place to combat financial crime
Describe the scope (what is covered by) The Financial Services (Jersey) Law 1998 (FS(J)L)
The Jersey regulatory framework comprises the following:
Primary legislation
Secondary legislation
Notices
Policy statements
Codes of practice
Guidance notes