The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has published its Guidelines on Cross-Selling Practices under MiFID II to ensure investors are treated fairly when an investment firm offers two or more financial products or services as part of a package.
The guidelines include principles on: improving disclosures when different products are cross-sold with one another; requiring firms to provide investors with all relevant information in a timely and clear manner; addressing conflicts of interest arising from remuneration models; and improving client understanding on whether purchasing the individual products offered in a package is possible.
The European Supervisory Authorities (ESAs) – EBA, EIOPA and ESMA – initially intended to issue joint guidelines covering all cross-selling practices taking place in the banking, insurance and securities sectors given that cross-selling is often cross-sectoral, and had consulted the stakeholders previously on this basis.
However, in light of legal concerns, the ESAs decided that ESMA should issue ESMA-only guidelines under MiFID II in order to meet its 3 January 2016 deadline.
While ESMA’s guidelines take into account the results of the ESAs’ joint consultation, the final report focuses on the feedback regarding cross-selling practices under MIFID II. Further, the guidelines are addressed to national regulators supervising the firms which provide MiFID services, when they engage in cross-selling practices.
The ESAs intend to inform the European Commission about the issues encountered and raise the possibility of legislative change to provide a foundation for future joint guidelines.
The guidelines will apply from 3 January 2017.
