- Question ID
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2016_2917
- Legal act
- Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR)
- Topic
- Market risk
- Article
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348, 350
- Paragraph
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2, 2
- COM Delegated or Implementing Acts/RTS/ITS/GLs/Recommendations
- Not applicable
- Article/Paragraph
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N/A
- Type of submitter
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Investment firm
- Subject matter
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Netting of Exposures arising from CIUs
- Question
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Under the approach of Article 350(2) CRR, shall netting be permitted between positions in the underlying assumed investments of the CIU and other positions held by the institution, e.g. stock positions which are traded to hedge the underlying risk exposure of the CIUs?
- Background on the question
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Articles 348-350 CRR set out the own funds requirements relating to CIUs.
Article 350(2) CRR provides, subject to the conditions outlined in Article 350(2)(a)-(b) CRR, that “institutions may calculate the own funds requirements for position risk, comprising specific and general risk, for positions in CIUs by assuming positions representing those necessary to replicate the composition and performance of the externally generated index or fixed basket of equities”.
Assuming that a CIU meets the conditions specified in Article 349 CRR, it is eligible for the approaches outlined in Article 350 CRR. Article 350(1) CRR states that where the institution is aware of the underlying investments of a CIU, it may look through to the underlying investments and net them with positions held elsewhere: "Where the institution is aware of the underlying investments of the CIU on a daily basis, the institution may look through to those underlying investments in order to calculate the own funds requirements for position risk, comprising specific and general risk. Under such an approach, positions in CIUs shall be treated as positions in the underlying investments of the CIU. Netting shall be permitted between positions in the underlying investments of the CIU and other positions held by the institution, provided that the institution holds a sufficient quantity of shares or units to allow for redemption/creation in exchange for the underlying investments".
Article 350(2) CRR permits institutions to assume the positions necessary to replicate the CIUs performance but does not indicate whether the positions assumed may be netted with other positions held by the institution. Permitting such positions to be netted would appear to be a reasonable economic interpretation given that the conditions outlined in Article 350(2)(a)-(b) CRR would first have to be satisfied. This would also be consistent with the treatment which is outlined for stock index futures in Article 344(3) CRR.
- Submission date
- Final publishing date
-
- Final answer
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Pursuant to Article 348(2) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR) no netting is permitted between the underlying investments of a CIU and other positions held by the institution, except for the cases noted in Article 350 CRR. Article 350 CRR provides an exception only for the approach laid down in Article 350(1) CRR. Hence, no netting shall be permitted under the approach of Article 350(2) CRR.
- Status
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Final Q&A
- Answer prepared by
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Answer prepared by the EBA.
- Note to Q&A
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Update 26.03.2021: This Q&A has been reviewed in the light of the changes introduced to Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR) and continues to be relevant.
Disclaimer
The Q&A refers to the provisions in force on the day of their publication. The EBA does not systematically review published Q&As following the amendment of legislative acts. Users of the Q&A tool should therefore check the date of publication of the Q&A and whether the provisions referred to in the answer remain the same.