Search
Contact
16.04.2018 | KPMG Law Insights

Investment | Law | Compact – Issue 04/2018

Dear Readers,

BaFin has taken a position on the question of whether a real estate company can also qualify as an AIF at the same time. This is affirmed under certain conditions. Meanwhile, ESMA is continuously adding to its Q&A catalogs on European financial market regulation. As usual, we point out relevant updates.

The European Securities and Markets Authority has also compiled an overview of all the guidelines it has issued. The links contained therein provide access to consultation documents together with comments from market participants, the final reports, translations and information on implementation in the individual countries.

Following BaFin’s announcement that it would generally follow ESMA’s interpretations in its administrative practice, it has now also declared that it will apply ESMA’s guidelines on product monitoring requirements under MiFID2.

With warm regards,
Henning Brockhaus

National supervision

BaFin Interpretative Decision on the Acquirability of AIFs as Real Estate Companies under the KAGB

On April 9, BaFin announced its administrative opinion on the question of whether, under the KAGB, AIFs in the corporate form of real estate companies can also be acquired for real estate investment funds pursuant to sections 231 et seq. KAGB or for open-ended special AIFs with fixed investment conditions pursuant to section 284 KAGB.

For this purpose, the supervisory authority has specified the following minimum requirements:

  • The AIF must have a corporate form that is compatible with the requirements of the KAGB;
  • The participation of the KVG in the real estate company must be a membership participation;
  • The AIF management company must have the majority of votes and capital in the real estate company required to amend the articles of association.

The other requirements for the acquisition of real estate companies under the KAGB must be observed in the same way as the other relevant requirements in the investment sector.

You can find BaFin’s detailed interpretative decision with further guidance here.

European supervision

ESMA revises Q&A catalog on MiFID2 investor protection topics

ESMA has updated its Q&A catalog on MiFID2 investor protection topics.
Additions have been made in particular to the topics of research, post-trade reporting and cost transparency with regard to grants.
You can access the current version of the Q&As here.

National supervision

BaFin applies ESMA guidelines on product monitoring

BaFin published a statement on March 23, 2018, stating that it will apply ESMA’s guidance on MiFID2 product monitoring requirements.

The guidelines specify the requirements for product monitoring. The requirements for target market definition for financial products play a central role here.

You can access the German version of the guidelines here.

European supervision

ESMA updates various Q&A catalogs

The ESMA has on 21. and March 22, 2018 published updated Q&A catalogs on the Benchmark Regulation, Market Abuse Regulation and Central Administrator Regulation:

  • Benchmark Regulation: Q&As regarding the implementation of the Benchmarks Regulation (BMR);
  • Market Abuse Regulation: Q&As on the implementation of the Market Abuse Regulation (MAR) and
  • Central Securities Depository Regulation: Q&As regarding the implementation of the Central Securities Depository Regulation (CSDR).

European legislation

Implementing regulation for ELTIFs published in the Official Journal

On March 23, 2018, the Implementing Regulation for European Long-Term Investment Funds (ELTIFs) was published. It entered into force on April 12, 2018.
The Implementing Regulation provides details on the use of hedging derivatives (Article 1), the maturity of an ELTIF (Article 2), the criteria for assessing the buyer market (Article 3), the valuation of assets to be sold (Article 4) and facilities for retail investors (Article 5).
The implementing regulation can be found here.

Explore #more

02.12.2025 | KPMG Law Insights

Implementation of the Pay Transparency Directive: what the expert commission recommends

The EU Pay Transparency Directive has been in force since June 2023 and must now be transposed into German law. In the coalition agreement,…

28.11.2025 | In the media

KPMG Law Guest article Expert forum on employment law: Between theory and practice: The EU Blue Card and the right to short-term mobility within the EU

Nowadays, not only employees but also employers want to create more attractive working conditions. For some time now, so-called workstations / work-from-anywhere programs or other…

26.11.2025 | KPMG Law Insights

EU deforestation regulation forces companies to act

Anyone who trades in or uses the raw materials soy, oil palm, cattle, coffee, cocoa, rubber and wood and certain products made from them should…

25.11.2025 | KPMG Law Insights

Special infrastructure assets: how the administration manages to implement projects quickly

The special infrastructure fund creates the opportunity to catch up on years of investment backlog. There is a need for urgency. Defence capability, economic growth…

21.11.2025 | In the media

KPMG Law Interview in Real Estate I Haufe: Substitute building materials: “Secondary is not second class”

The Substitute Building Materials Ordinance is intended to harmonize the circular economy in construction, but legal uncertainty and bureaucracy are holding it back. How can…

21.11.2025 | KPMG Law Insights

Residential construction turbo: more living space on existing properties

Since October 30, 2025, new regulations on the creation of living space have been in force in the German Building Code (BauGB). At the heart…

19.11.2025 | KPMG Law Insights

New Packaging Implementation Act tightens obligations for companies

With a new Packaging Implementation Act (VerpackDG), German law is to be adapted to the EU Packaging Regulation. The Federal Ministry for the Environment…

18.11.2025 | In the media

KPMG Law Statement in the FAZ on the subject of deepfakes

Fraudsters can easily falsify invoices or even act as company bosses. Companies can defend themselves against this, but there are no miracle weapons against AI…

17.11.2025 | KPMG Law Insights

Video surveillance in rental properties: What should landlords be aware of?

Video surveillance of rented properties is only possible under strict legal conditions. More and more owners want to keep an eye on and secure their…

13.11.2025 | KPMG Law Insights

Implementing AI in the legal department – these are the success factors

Artificial intelligence (AI) only benefits the legal department if it is implemented correctly. The technology promises to automate time-consuming routine work and fundamentally improve the…

Contact

Henning Brockhaus

Partner

THE SQUAIRE Am Flughafen
60549 Frankfurt am Main

Tel.: +49 69 951195061
hbrockhaus@kpmg-law.com

© 2024 KPMG Law Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft mbH, associated with KPMG AG Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft, a public limited company under German law and a member of the global KPMG organisation of independent member firms affiliated with KPMG International Limited, a Private English Company Limited by Guarantee. All rights reserved. For more details on the structure of KPMG’s global organisation, please visit https://home.kpmg/governance.

 KPMG International does not provide services to clients. No member firm is authorised to bind or contract KPMG International or any other member firm to any third party, just as KPMG International is not authorised to bind or contract any other member firm.

Scroll