PRIN 3

Rules about application

PRIN 3.1

Who?

PRIN 3.1.1

See Notes

handbook-rule

PRIN applies to every firm, except that:

  1. (1) for an incoming EEA firm or an incoming Treaty firm, the Principles apply only in so far as responsibility for the matter in question is not reserved by a European Community instrument to the firm's Home State regulator;
  2. (2) for an incoming EEA firm which is a BCD credit institution without a top-up permission, Principle 4 applies only in relation to the liquidity of a branch established in the United Kingdom;
  3. (3) for an incoming EEA firm which has permission only for cross border services and which does not carry on regulated activities in the United Kingdom, the Principles do not apply;
  4. (4) for a UCITS qualifier, only Principles 1, 2, 3, 7 and 9 apply, and only with respect to the activities in PRIN 3.2.2 R (Communication and approval of financial promotions);
  5. (5) PRIN does not apply to an incoming ECA provider acting as such.

PRIN 3.1.2

See Notes

handbook-guidance
SYSC App 1, COBS 1 Annex 1 and the territorial guidance in PERG 13.6 all contain guidance that is relevant to the reservation of responsibility to a Home State regulator referred to in PRIN 3.1.1 R (1).

PRIN 3.1.3

See Notes

handbook-guidance
PRIN 3.1.1 R (2) reflects article 41 of the Banking Consolidation Directive which provides that the Host State regulator retains responsibility in cooperation with the Home State regulator for the supervision of the liquidity of a branch of a BCD credit institution.

PRIN 3.1.4

See Notes

handbook-guidance
PRIN 3.1.1 R (3) puts incoming EEA firms on an equal footing with unauthorised overseas persons who utilise the overseas persons exclusions in article 72 of the Regulated Activities Order.

PRIN 3.1.5

See Notes

handbook-guidance
PRIN 3.1.1 R (4) reflects section 266 of the Act (Disapplication of rules).

PRIN 3.1.6

See Notes

handbook-rule
A firm will not be subject to a Principle to the extent that it would be contrary to the UK's obligations under a Single Market Directive.

PRIN 3.1.7

See Notes

handbook-guidance
PRIN 4 provides specific guidance on the application of the Principles for MiFID business.

PRIN 3.2

What?

PRIN 3.2.1

See Notes

handbook-rule

PRIN applies with respect to the carrying on of:

  1. (1) regulated activities;
  2. (2) activities that constitute dealing in investments as principal, disregarding the exclusion in article 15 of the Regulated Activities Order (Absence of holding out etc); and
  3. (3) ancillary activities in relation to designated investment business, home finance activity and insurance mediation activity.

PRIN 3.2.2

See Notes

handbook-rule

PRIN also applies with respect to the communication and approval of financial promotions which:

  1. (1) if communicated by an unauthorised person without approval would contravene section 21(1) of the Act (Restrictions on financial promotion); and
  2. (2) may be communicated by a firm without contravening section 238(1) of the Act (Restrictions on promotion of collective investment schemes).

PRIN 3.2.3

See Notes

handbook-rule

Principles 3, 4 and (in so far as it relates to disclosing to the FSA ) 11 (and this chapter) also:

  1. (1) apply with respect to the carrying on of unregulated activities (for Principle 3 this is only in a prudential context); and
  2. (2) take into account any activity of other members of a group of which the firm is a member.

PRIN 3.3

Where?

PRIN 3.3.1

See Notes

handbook-rule

Territorial application of the Principles

PRIN 3.4

General

Clients and the Principles

PRIN 3.4.1

See Notes

handbook-rule
Although Principle 7 refers to clients, the only requirement of Principle 7 relating to eligible counterparties is that a firm must communicate information to eligible counterparties in a way that is not misleading.

PRIN 3.4.2

See Notes

handbook-rule
For the purposes of PRIN, a firm intending to carry on, or carrying on, activities that do not involve designated investment business, may treat a client as an eligible counterparty in accordance with PRIN 1 Annex 1 R.

PRIN 3.4.3

See Notes

handbook-guidance
  1. (1) COBS 3 (Client categorisation) applies to a firm intending to conduct, or conducting, designated investment business (other than giving basic advice) and ancillary activities relating to designated investment business. Any client categorisation established in relation to such business will be applicable for the purposes of Principles 6, 7, 8 and 9.
  2. (2) The person to whom a firm gives basic advice will be a retail client for all purposes including the purposes of Principles 6, 7, 8 and 9.

Actions for damages

PRIN 3.4.4

See Notes

handbook-rule
A contravention of the rules in PRIN does not give rise to a right of action by a private person under section 150 of the Act (and each of those rules is specified under section 150(2) of the Act as a provision giving rise to no such right of action).

Reference to "regulators" in Principle 11

PRIN 3.4.5

See Notes

handbook-rule
Where Principle 11 refers to regulators, this means, in addition to the FSA, other regulators with recognised jurisdiction in relation to regulated activities, whether in the United Kingdom or abroad.