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

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…

13.11.2025 | KPMG Law Insights

First omnibus package to relax CSDDD, CSRD and EU taxonomy obligations

On November 13, 2025, the EU Parliament voted on its negotiating position regarding the so-called omnibus package, which provides for a relaxation of the CSRD,…

12.11.2025 | In the media

KPMG Law Statement in In-house Counsel: More stability under the umbrella of corporate governance

There is a lot of talk about “corporate governance” in the face of multiple crises and regulatory tendencies on the part of legislators. But what…

07.11.2025 | Deal Notifications

KPMG Law and KPMG advise Diehl Defence on the acquisition of the Tauber Group

KPMG Law Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft mbH (KPMG Law) and KPMG AG Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft (KPMG) advised Diehl Defence on the acquisition of the Tauber Group. KPMG Law provided legal…

07.11.2025 | KPMG Law Insights

Changes to the H-1B visa and their consequences for US hiring and secondment practices

President Trump’s administration has introduced two significant changes to the highly popular H-1B visa program for skilled workers: The previous random lottery will be replaced…

07.11.2025 | In the media

KPMG Law Statement on HAUFE: Confusion surrounding the EU Deforestation Regulation – and what companies should do now

Possibly, perhaps, under certain circumstances, the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) will not be binding for large and medium-sized enterprises on December 30, 2025 and for…

06.11.2025 | KPMG Law Insights

External personnel: authorities tighten checks with AI support

AI is a blessing for many companies, but it can also quickly become a curse, especially when authorities use the technology to uncover legal violations…

06.11.2025 | KPMG Law Insights

Deforestation regulation – simplification instead of postponement?

In September, the EU Commission wanted to postpone the EUDR deforestation regulation. On October 21, 2025, it published a comprehensive proposal to simplify the EUDR

05.11.2025 | KPMG Law Insights

Employer of Record now not subject to authorization after all – change of heart at BA

On October 1, 2025, the Federal Employment Agency (BA) updated its technical directives and made a U-turn with regard to the so-called employer-of-record model: In…

03.11.2025 | KPMG Law Insights

CO₂ contracts for difference: Participation in the preliminary procedure is a prerequisite for funding

Companies can apply for funding in the preliminary procedure for the climate protection contracts program until 1 December 2025. The funding from the Federal Ministry…

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