EU Short Selling Regulation (SSR) Aggregation

This article discusses the EU Short Selling Regulation (EU SSR) and how this is reflected within Rapptr.

Contents

  • Background
  • SSR Management Aggregation
  • SSR Non-Management Aggregation

Background

The EU SSR is represented in Rapptr by rules which have “SSR” in the name of the RuleCode or the Rule label (see a rule's summary tab for this information). It is important to evaluate your firm’s relationship to any short positions held - in particular, whether you are simply holding short positions or also acting as discretionary manager for them.

SSR Management Aggregation

The EU SSR applies to the legal entity holding a net short position in the relevant securities, regardless of where it is located. However, one must carefully consider who holds the discretionary management power over short sold assets, particularly for firms acting in an investment management capacity.

In Rapptr, we normally model a company’s corporate structure in relation to where it holds management power (power to buy/sell securities) in the Management aggregation tree. In most cases, the Management aggregation tree suffices for purposes of the EU Short Selling Regulation.  However, there are certain exceptions to consider, for which we are able to set up the SSRManagement tree to capture the requirements for the EU SSR regime.

What justifies a separate management-type aggregation tree for the EU SSR?

  1. Article 12 of the SSR Delegated Regulation (COMMISSION DELEGATED REGULATION (EU) No 918/2012) sheds light on how entities involved with investment management activities are to consider their short position (including the calculation and netting of positions).
  2. This article defines “management entity” as “a legal person or entity, including a division, unit or department that manages, on a discretionary basis, funds or portfolios pursuant to a mandate.”
  3. There are cases, where a given “division” or branch of a company might be considered a “management entity” given the above definition, but not generally considered a legal entity with management discretion over assets.
  4. In addition, Article 12 also notes that one should exclude from this aggregation tree any “funds and portfolios the management of which it has delegated to a third party” (more on this below).
  5. In such cases, a client may need to exclude some management entities or include additional entities (for example, branches that manage discretionary portfolios) under this SSR specific definition which are not considered generally as legal entities for other purposes.

Do I need to set up the SSR-specific aggregation tree: SSRManagement?

  • No, unless you have branches or divisions in your corporate tree which meet the requirements outlined in 1-4 above.
  • If you do not set up SSRManagement, the EU SSR rules will run on your general “Management” aggregation tree (or “Default” tree if you don’t have distinct aggregation trees)

SSR Non-Management Aggregation

If you are engaged in short selling, it’s important to also analyse your corporate tree in regard to another dimension: where an entity holds short sold assets but does not have discretionary management power over the assets (or has delegated it to a third party).

The EU SSR requires reporting for assets where an entity holds the assets but does not actually manage the assets (including where it was delegated management).

The rules which apply to your firm, in this case, are separate from the “standard” SSR rules as they require a different netting method.

If this applies to your firm, please discuss this with our Support team so we can help you do the following:

  1. Set-up a “Non-Management” aggregation tree
  2. Ensure that a separate set of SSR rules (Non-Management rules) is applied as these rules use a different netting methodology. This includes ensuring that the value “Non-Management” is included as a “Folder” for all portfolios/entities in the tree.

What are some examples of where you hold assets described by “Non-management”?

  • Where you hold short sold proprietary assets
  • Where you hold short sold execution-only mandates
  • Holding short sold assets where you have fully delegated management (sub-delegation) (see aosphere's EU Member States memo page 12-13). Article 12.6 also notes: ”For its non-management activities that give rise to the holding of short positions by the entity for its own account, that single legal entity shall perform the calculation of the net short position in a particular issuer ... report, and disclose the resulting net short positions.”

This can be complicated so...

If you have any further questions or you are unsure about how to apply this analysis to your firm, please don’t hesitate to discuss it with our Client Services team.

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References for further information:

  1. Article 12 of the SSR Delegated Regulation (COMMISSION DELEGATED REGULATION (EU) No 918/2012)
  2. aosphere’s Rulefinder report the EU Member States
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