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United Kingdom Statutory Instruments |
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You are here: BAILII >> Databases >> United Kingdom Statutory Instruments >> The Prospectus Regulations 2005 No. 1433 URL: http://www.bailii.org/uk/legis/num_reg/2005/20051433.html |
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Made | 26th May 2005 | ||
Laid before Parliament | 27th May 2005 | ||
Coming into force | 1st July 2005 |
2.
In subsection (5) of section 74 (the official list), omit the definition of "security".
3.
—(1) Section 79 (listing particulars and other documents) is amended as follows.
(2) In subsection (1), omit the words "(other than new securities)".
(3) After subsection (3) insert—
4.
Section 83 (registration of listing particulars) is repealed.
5.
For sections 84 to 87 (and the cross-heading immediately preceding those sections), substitute—
(2) Prospectus rules may also make provision as to—
(3) Prospectus rules may also make provision as to—
(4) Prospectus rules may make provision for the purpose of dealing with matters arising out of or related to any provision of the prospectus directive.
(5) In relation to cases where the home State in relation to an issuer of transferable securities is an EEA State other than the United Kingdom, prospectus rules may make provision for the recognition of elections made in relation to such securities under the law of that State in accordance with Article 1.3 or 2.1(m)(iii) of the prospectus directive.
(6) In relation to a document relating to transferable securities issued by an issuer incorporated in a non-EEA State and drawn up in accordance with the law of that State, prospectus rules may make provision as to the approval of that document as a prospectus.
(7) Nothing in this section affects the competent authority's general power to make prospectus rules.
85
Prohibition of dealing etc. in transferable securities without approved prospectus
(1) It is unlawful for transferable securities to which this subsection applies to be offered to the public in the United Kingdom unless an approved prospectus has been made available to the public before the offer is made.
(2) It is unlawful to request the admission of transferable securities to which this subsection applies to trading on a regulated market situated or operating in the United Kingdom unless an approved prospectus has been made available to the public before the request is made.
(3) A person who contravenes subsection (1) or (2) is guilty of an offence and liable—
(4) A contravention of subsection (1) or (2) is actionable, at the suit of a person who suffers loss as a result of the contravention, subject to the defences and other incidents applying to actions for breach of statutory duty.
(5) Subsection (1) applies to all transferable securities other than—
(6) Subsection (2) applies to all transferable securities other than—
(7) "Approved prospectus" means, in relation to transferable securities to which this section applies, a prospectus approved by the competent authority of the home State in relation to the issuer of the securities.
86
Exempt offers to the public
(1) A person does not contravene section 85(1) if—
(2) Where—
an offer made to or directed at the qualified investor is not to be regarded for the purposes of subsection (1) as also having been made to or directed at the client.
(3) For the purposes of subsection (1)(b), the making of an offer of transferable securities to—
is to be treated as the making of an offer to a single person.
(4) In determining whether subsection (1)(e) is satisfied in relation to an offer ("offer A"), offer A is to be taken together with any other offer of transferable securities of the same class made by the same person which—
(5) For the purposes of this section, an amount (in relation to an amount denominated in euros) is an "equivalent amount" if it is an amount of equal value denominated wholly or partly in another currency or unit of account.
(6) The equivalent is to be calculated at the latest practicable date before (but in any event not more than 3 working days before) the date on which the offer is first made.
(7) "Qualified investor" means—
87
Election to have prospectus
(1) A person who proposes—
may elect, in accordance with prospectus rules, to have a prospectus in relation to the securities.
(2) If a person makes such an election, the provisions of this Part and of prospectus rules apply in relation to those transferable securities as if, in relation to an offer of the securities to the public or the admission of the securities to trading on a regulated market, they were transferable securities for which an approved prospectus would be required as a result of section 85.
(3) Listing rules made under section 79 do not apply to securities which are the subject of an election.
(4) The transferable securities to which this section applies are those which fall within any of the following paragraphs of Schedule 11A—
where the United Kingdom is the home State in relation to the issuer of the securities.
(2) The necessary information is the information necessary to enable investors to make an informed assessment of—
(3) The necessary information must be presented in a form which is comprehensible and easy to analyse.
(4) The necessary information must be prepared having regard to the particular nature of the transferable securities and their issuer.
(5) The prospectus must include a summary (unless the transferable securities in question are ones in relation to which prospectus rules provide that a summary is not required).
(6) The summary must, briefly and in non-technical language, convey the essential characteristics of, and risks associated with, the issuer, any guarantor and the transferable securities to which the prospectus relates.
(7) Where the prospectus for which approval is sought does not include the final offer price or the amount of transferable securities to be offered to the public, the applicant must inform the competent authority in writing of that information as soon as that element is finalised.
(8) "Prospectus" (except in subsection (5)) includes a supplementary prospectus.
87B
Exemptions from disclosure
(1) The competent authority may authorise the omission from a prospectus of any information, the inclusion of which would otherwise be required, on the ground—
(2) The Secretary of State or the Treasury may issue a certificate to the effect that the disclosure of any information would be contrary to the public interest.
(3) The competent authority is entitled to act on any such certificate in exercising its powers under subsection (1)(a).
(4) This section does not affect any powers of the competent authority under prospectus rules.
(5) "Prospectus" includes a supplementary prospectus.
87C
Consideration of application for approval
(1) The competent authority must notify the applicant of its decision on an application for approval of a prospectus before the end of the period for consideration.
(2) The period for consideration—
(3) The period for consideration is—
(4) The competent authority may by notice in writing require a person who has applied for approval of a prospectus to provide—
(5) No notice under subsection (4) may be given after the end of the period, beginning with the first working day after the date on which the application is received, of—
(6) Subsection (4) applies only to information and documents reasonably required in connection with the exercise by the competent authority of its functions in relation to the application.
(7) The competent authority may require any information provided under this section to be provided in such form as it may reasonably require.
(8) The competent authority may require—
as it may reasonably require.
(9) The competent authority must notify the applicant of its decision on an application for approval of a supplementary prospectus before the end of the period of 7 working days beginning with the date on which the application is received; and subsections (4) and (6) to (8) apply to such an application as they apply to an application for approval of a prospectus.
(10) The competent authority's failure to comply with subsection (1) or (9) does not constitute approval of the application in question.
(11) "New issuer" means an issuer of transferable securities which—
87D
Procedure for decision on application for approval
(1) If the competent authority approves a prospectus, it must give the applicant written notice.
(2) If the competent authority proposes to refuse to approve a prospectus, it must give the applicant written notice.
(3) The notice must state the competent authority's reasons for the proposed refusal.
(4) If the competent authority decides to refuse to approve a prospectus, it must give the applicant written notice.
(5) The notice must—
(6) If the competent authority refuses to approve a prospectus, the applicant may refer the matter to the Tribunal.
(7) In this section "prospectus" includes a supplementary prospectus.
(2) Section 87C applies as if the date of the transfer were the date on which the application was received by the competent authority.
(4) "Significant" means significant for the purposes of making an informed assessment of the kind mentioned in section 87A(2).
(5) Any person responsible for the prospectus who is aware of any new factor, mistake or inaccuracy which may require the submission of a supplementary prospectus in accordance with subsection (2) must give notice of it to—
(6) A supplementary prospectus must provide sufficient information to correct any mistake or inaccuracy which gave rise to the need for it.
(7) Subsection (1) applies also to information contained in any supplementary prospectus published under this section.
(2) A document is not a certificate of approval unless it states that the prospectus—
(3) A document is not a certificate of approval unless it states whether (and, if so, why) the competent authority providing it authorised, in accordance with the prospectus directive, the omission from the prospectus of information which would otherwise have been required to be included.
(4) "Prospectus" includes a supplementary prospectus.
87I
Provision of information to host Member State
(1) The competent authority must, if requested to do so, supply the competent authority of a specified EEA State with—
(2) Only the following may make a request under this section—
(3) A certificate of approval must state that the prospectus—
(4) A certificate of approval must state whether (and, if so, why) the competent authority authorised, in accordance with section 87B, the omission from the prospectus of information which would otherwise have been required to be included.
(5) The competent authority must comply with a request under this section—
(6) "Prospectus" includes a supplementary prospectus.
(7) "Specified" means specified in a request made for the purposes of this section.
(2) "Specified" means specified in the notice.
(3) "Prospectus" includes a supplementary prospectus.
87K
Power to suspend or prohibit offer to the public
(1) This section applies where a person ("the offeror") has made an offer of transferable securities to the public in the United Kingdom ("the offer").
(2) If the competent authority has reasonable grounds for suspecting that an applicable provision has been infringed, it may—
(3) If the competent authority has reasonable grounds for suspecting that it is likely that an applicable provision will be infringed, it may require the offeror to withdraw the offer.
(4) If the competent authority finds that an applicable provision has been infringed, it may require the offeror to withdraw the offer.
(5) "An applicable provision" means—
applicable in relation to the offer.
87L
Power to suspend or prohibit admission to trading on a regulated market
(1) This section applies where a person has requested the admission of transferable securities to trading on a regulated market situated or operating in the United Kingdom.
(2) If the competent authority has reasonable grounds for suspecting that an applicable provision has been infringed and the securities have not yet been admitted to trading on the regulated market in question, it may—
(3) If the competent authority has reasonable grounds for suspecting that an applicable provision has been infringed and the securities have been admitted to trading on the regulated market in question, it may—
(4) If the competent authority finds that an applicable provision has been infringed, it may require the market operator to prohibit trading in the securities on the regulated market in question.
(5) "An applicable provision" means—
applicable in relation to the admission of the transferable securities to trading on the regulated market in question.
87M
Public censure of issuer
(1) If the competent authority finds that—
is failing or has failed to comply with his obligations under an applicable provision, it may publish a statement to that effect.
(2) If the competent authority proposes to publish a statement, it must give the person a warning notice setting out the terms of the proposed statement.
(3) If, after considering any representations made in response to the warning notice, the competent authority decides to make the proposed statement, it must give the person a decision notice setting out the terms of the statement.
(4) "An applicable provision" means—
applicable to a prospectus in relation to the transferable securities in question.
(5) "Prospectus" includes a supplementary prospectus.
87N
Right to refer matters to the Tribunal
(1) A person to whom a decision notice is given under section 87M may refer the matter to the Tribunal.>
(2) A person to whom a notice is given under section 87O may refer the matter to the Tribunal.
87O
Procedure under sections 87K and 87L
(1) A requirement under section 87K or 87L takes effect—
(2) If the competent authority—
it must give that person written notice.
(3) The notice must—
(4) The competent authority may extend the period within which representations may be made to it.
(5) If, having considered any representations made to it, the competent authority decides to maintain, vary or revoke its earlier decision, it must give written notice to that effect to the person mentioned in subsection (2).
(6) A notice given under subsection (5) must inform that person, where relevant, of his right to refer the matter to the Tribunal.
(7) If a notice informs a person of his right to refer a matter to the Tribunal, it must give an indication of the procedure on such a reference.
(8) If a notice under this section relates to the exercise of the power conferred by section 87L(3), the notice must also be given to the person at whose request the transferable securities were admitted to trading on the regulated market.
87P
Exercise of powers at request of competent authority of another EEA State
(1) This section applies if—
(2) For the purpose of complying with the request mentioned in subsection (1)(c), the powers conferred by sections 87K and 87L may be exercised as if the prospectus were one which had been approved by the competent authority.
(3) Section 87N does not apply to an exercise of those powers as a result of this section.
(4) Section 87O does apply to such an exercise of those powers but with the omission of subsections (3)(e), (6) and (7).
(3) Subsection (1) does not apply if the prospectus contains—
(4) Where a supplementary prospectus has been published and, prior to the publication, a person agreed to buy or subscribe for transferable securities to which it relates, he may withdraw his acceptance before the end of the period of 2 working days beginning with the first working day after the date on which the supplementary prospectus was published.
(3) A company may not be entered in the register unless—
(4) A person who does not fall within subsection (2) or (3) may not be entered in the register."
6.
—(1) Section 90 (compensation for false or misleading particulars) is amended as follows.
(2) After subsection (10) insert—
(12) A person is not to be subject to civil liability solely on the basis of a summary in a prospectus unless the summary is misleading, inaccurate or inconsistent when read with the rest of the prospectus; and, in this subsection, a summary includes any translation of it."
(3) For the title substitute "Compensation for false or misleading statements or omissions".
7.
—(1) Section 91 (penalties for breach of listing rules) is amended as follows.
(2) After subsection (1) insert—
(3) In subsection (2)—
(4) For the title substitute "Penalties for breach of Part 6 rules".
8.
In subsection (1) of section 97 (appointment by competent authority of persons to carry out investigations)—
9.
Section 98 (advertisements etc. in connection with listing applications) is repealed.
10.
After subsection (1A) of section 99 (fees), insert—
11.
For section 103 (interpretation of Part 6), substitute—
102B
Meaning of "offer of transferable securities to the public" etc.
(1) For the purposes of this Part there is an offer of transferable securities to the public if there is a communication to any person which presents sufficient information on—
to enable an investor to decide to buy or subscribe for the securities in question.
(2) For the purposes of this Part, to the extent that an offer of transferable securities is made to a person in the United Kingdom it is an offer of transferable securities to the public in the United Kingdom.
(3) The communication may be made—
(4) Subsection (1) includes the placing of securities through a financial intermediary.
(5) Subsection (1) does not include a communication in connection with trading on—
(6) "Multilateral trading facility" means a multilateral system, operated by an investment firm (within the meaning of Article 1.2 of the investment services directive) or a market operator, which brings together multiple third-party buying and selling interests in financial instruments in accordance with non-discretionary rules so as to result in a contract.
102C
Meaning of "home State" in relation to transferable securities
103
Interpretation of this Part
(1) In this Part, save where the context otherwise requires—
(2) In relation to any function conferred on the competent authority by this Part, any reference in this Part to the competent authority is to be read as a reference to the person by whom that function is for the time being exercisable.
(3) If, as a result of an order under Schedule 8, different functions conferred on the competent authority by this Part are exercisable by different persons, the powers conferred by section 91 are exercisable by such person as may be determined in accordance with the provisions of the order."
12.
In Section 176 (entry of premises under warrant), in subsection (11)(a), after "section" insert "87C, 87J,".
13.
In subsection (4)(b) of section 195 (exercise of power in support of overseas regulator), omit "in relation to the listing of shares".
14.
In subsection (13) of section 395 (the Authority's procedures), after paragraph (ba) insert—
15.
In section 417(3) (calculation of period of days) after "Act" insert "(other than a provision of Part 6)".
16.
Schedules 9 (non-listing prospectuses) and 11 (offers of securities) are repealed.
3.
Shares in the share capital of the central bank of an EEA State.
4.
Transferable securities unconditionally and irrevocably guaranteed by the government, or a local or regional authority, of an EEA State.
5.
—(1) Non-equity transferable securities, issued in a continuous or repeated manner by a credit institution, which satisfy the conditions in sub-paragraph (2).
(2) The conditions are that the transferable securities—
6.
Non-fungible shares of capital—
(b) a recognised body within the meaning of section 1(7) of the Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1990 (c. 40);
(c) a housing association within the meaning of—
(d) an industrial and provident society registered in accordance with—
(e) a non-profit making association or body recognised by an EEA State with objectives similar to those of a body falling within any of sub-paragraphs (a) to (d).
8.
—(1) Non-equity transferable securities, issued in a continuous or repeated manner by a credit institution, which satisfy the conditions in sub-paragraph (2).
(2) The conditions are—
(3) In determining whether sub-paragraph (2)(a) is satisfied in relation to an offer ("offer A"), offer A is to be taken together with any other offer of transferable securities of the same class made by the same person which—
(4) For the purposes of this paragraph, an amount (in relation to an amount denominated in euros) is an "equivalent amount" if it is an amount of equal value denominated wholly or partly in another currency or unit of account.
(5) The equivalent is to be calculated at the latest practicable date before (but in any event not more than 3 working days before) the date on which the offer is first made.
(6) "Credit institution" means a credit institution as defined in Article 1.1(a) of the banking consolidation directive.
9.
—(1) Transferable securities included in an offer where the total consideration of the offer is less than 2,500,000 euros (or an equivalent amount).
(2) Sub-paragraphs (3) to (5) of paragraph 8 apply for the purposes of this paragraph but with the references in sub-paragraph (3) to "sub-paragraph (2)(a)" being read as references to "paragraph 9(1)"."
6.
In section 16 of that Act (grants to bodies concerned with accounting standards etc.), in subsection (5), for the definition of "issuer", "listing rules" and "security" substitute—
[2] 1972 c. 68. By virtue of the amendment of section 1(2) made by section 1 of the European Economic Area Act 1993 (c. 51) regulations may be made under section 2(2) to implement obligations of the United Kingdom created by or arising under the Agreement on the European Economic Area signed at Oporto on 2nd May 1992 (Cm 2073) and the Protocol adjusting that Agreement signed at Brussels on 17th March 1993 (Cm 2183).back
[4] S.I. 2005/381 (which also comes fully into force on 1st July 2005).back
[5] Subsection (2)(a) was substituted by S.I. 2001/3649, article 76(2).back