Central Bank Amends Its AIF Rulebook

Ireland offers a sophisticated regulatory framework for Alternative Investment Funds, with structures ranging from ICAVs and Investment Limited Partnerships to Unit Trusts and Common Contractual Funds. The jurisdiction provides flexible options for both retail and institutional investors, with distinct regulatory pathways for RIAIFs, QIAIFs, and ELTIFs, each designed to accommodate different investment strategies and liquidity profiles while maintaining robust investor protections.

European securities regulators are launching a comprehensive assessment of crypto-asset service providers' digital operational resilience, with a particular focus on custody activities and distributed ledger technology risks. The exercise will examine how firms manage critical areas including key storage, transaction controls, incident response, and third-party dependencies under the newly enforceable Digital Operational Resilience Act.

The EU Retail Investment Strategy is a legislative package which introduces significant changes to the UCITS Directive and AIFMD, as well as MiFID II, the Insurance Distribution Directive and the Solvency II Directive via an omnibus directive (Omnibus Directive).

The Central Bank of Ireland's thematic assessment of the Fitness and Probity regime within the MiFID investment firm sector reveals critical gaps in governance documentation and evidence. Firms are struggling to demonstrate adequate due diligence processes, policy implementation, and Management Responsibility Map compliance. Can your organization withstand regulatory scrutiny of its F&P framework?

Dechert's submission to Ireland's Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment advocates for comprehensive reform of the Limited Partnerships Act 1907, proposing removal of the 20-partner limit, introduction of a statutory whitelist of permitted activities, and full recognition of the commitment and drawdown capital model to modernize Ireland's private fund structures and enhance competitiveness with global jurisdictions.

Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/825 introduces sweeping changes to MiFID order execution requirements, shifting from public disclosure to robust internal governance. Investment firms face enhanced obligations around execution venue selection, continuous quality monitoring using objective market data, and comprehensive documentation of routing decisions. How will firms adapt their execution frameworks to meet these data-driven standards by the February 2028 deadline?

Ireland's Department of Finance unveils its Vision 2030 strategy to strengthen the country's position as a leading international financial services hub through 31 targeted actions addressing legislation, regulation, digital transformation, and talent development.

The Central Bank of Ireland (the “Central Bank”) has published a thematic assessment report (the “Report”) following a review of the implementation of key aspects of the Fitness and Probity regime (the “F&P Regime”) in the MiFID investment firm sector.

The Central Bank of Ireland has published its assessment of how MiFID investment firms implement the Fitness and Probity regime, revealing significant gaps in due diligence processes and documentation practices. While many firms demonstrated strong policies, a notable cohort failed to effectively apply requirements in practice, particularly around onboarding and annual certification. The assessment provides clear expectations for firms to strengthen their governance frameworks and embed the Individual Accou

The Central Bank of Ireland has issued comprehensive guidance on prohibition notices under its fitness and probity regime, while simultaneously releasing its second payment and e-money newsletter addressing critical compliance matters. These publications coincide with the second edition of the Financial Crime Bulletin, which emphasizes escalating fraud risks and the evolving AML/CFT supervisory framework across Ireland's financial services sector.

A recent English High Court decision clarifies that investor-appointed directors cannot freely share privileged legal documents with their appointing shareholders without explicit company authorization. This ruling challenges common assumptions about information rights in shareholders' agreements and establishes new boundaries for directors navigating dual loyalties between companies and investors.

The EU Retail Investment Strategy is a legislative package which introduces significant changes to the UCITS Directive and AIFMD, as well as MiFID II, the Insurance Distribution Directive and the Solvency II Directive via an omnibus directive (Omnibus Directive).

Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/825 introduces sweeping changes to MiFID order execution requirements, shifting from public disclosure to robust internal governance. Investment firms face enhanced obligations around execution venue selection, continuous quality monitoring using objective market data, and comprehensive documentation of routing decisions. How will firms adapt their execution frameworks to meet these data-driven standards by the February 2028 deadline?

The Cayman Islands Monetary Authority has introduced sweeping changes to anti-money laundering audit requirements for investment funds, mandating independent audits of entire compliance programmes by September 2026. This marks a fundamental departure from previous practice where internal AML officers could conduct their own testing, raising critical questions about implementation timelines, qualified auditor availability, and compliance costs for funds operating in the jurisdiction.

The Central Bank of Ireland has released its second biannual Financial Crime Bulletin, addressing critical developments in anti-money laundering, counter-terrorism financing, financial sanctions, fraud prevention, and market abuse. This comprehensive update examines Ireland's national risk assessment findings, AMLA's evolving regulatory framework, and the escalating threat of AI-driven fraud and scams targeting consumers and financial institutions.

Dillon Eustace offers comprehensive commercial litigation services, handling complex business disputes through their specialized litigation and dispute resolution practice. Their expertise spans a wide range of commercial conflicts, providing strategic legal representation for businesses navigating contentious matters.

Preparation of this Strategy closely follows on from the recently published National Risk Assessment on Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Proliferation Financing 2026 and its associated Priority Action Implementation Plan...

Dillon Eustace launches a comprehensive Anti-Money Laundering Hub to guide companies through the EU's most significant AML/CFT framework reform. The resource centre provides practical guidance on the new EU AML Package, including AMLR, AMLD6, and the establishment of AMLA, as organizations prepare for substantial changes taking effect in July 2027.

On 23 July 2026, the Central Bank of Ireland (Central Bank) published its feedback report on its review of delegation in the Irish funds sector (Report).

On 30 March 2026, EIOPA published a final report on a draft implementing technical standards (ITS) and guidelines on supervisory reporting and public disclosure supplementing the Solvency II Directive.