On August 15, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) updated the “latest news” webpage on the Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive (2011/61/EU) (AIFMD) with information on passporting arrangements under the AIFMD.

The update notes that ESMA recently published an opinion that recognizes the right of firms to be able to exercise passport rights in Member States that have not yet transposed the directive, assuming the firms’ own home Member State has transposed the AIFMD.

As the UK has transposed the AIFMD, UK firms should be able to exercise passporting rights in all EEA states, with the exception of Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland. UK firms will be able to exercise AIFMD passporting rights in these jurisdictions when the EEA Agreement (to which Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland are signatories) has been updated to include the AIFMD within its scope. Similarly, UK firms will be able to exercise passport rights in Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland pursuant to the European Social Entrepreneurship Funds Regulation (Regulation 346/2013) (EuSEF Regulation) and the European Venture Capital Funds Regulation (Regulation 345/2013) (EuVECA Regulation), when the EEA Agreement has been updated to include these regulations within its scope. “Latest News” Webpage. Opinion.