The New ESG Framework: Principal Adverse Impact Reporting

The Central Bank of Ireland has established a portal that allows Certain Financial Vehicles, namely Irish Collective Asset-Management Vehicles, unit trusts and credit unions, to register details of their beneficial owners ...

Directive (EU) 2024/927 ("UCITS VI") amending Directive 2009/65/EC ("UCITS Directive") came into force on 15 April 2024, requiring EU member states to implement it into their national laws by 16 April 2026.

As widely anticipated on 10 September 2019, mainland China's foreign exchange regulator, the State Administration of Foreign Exchange, confirmed that existing restrictions on both QFII and RQFII schemes have been abolished.

On 23 October 2018, the European Securities and Markets Authority ('ESMA") adopted a Decision under Article 40 of Regulation (EU) No 600/2014 ('MiFIR") to restrict the marketing, distribution or sale

On 17 November 2025, ESMA published the findings of a peer review report on the supervision of depositary obligations with the aim of promoting the robust supervision of depositary obligations (Peer Review).

On 4 December 2025, the European Commission published its much-anticipated market integration package (Proposal).

The Central Bank is currently in the process of carrying out on-site inspections to confirm that certain companies (including funds) are in compliance with the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act 2010, (the "CJA 2010"), particularly with respect to the customer due diligence obligations and internal policies and procedures including training.

This quarterly report examines significant regulatory developments affecting Irish asset management and investment funds from January to March 2026. The analysis covers Central Bank initiatives on tokenisation and supervisory procedures, AIFMD II implementation requirements, EU-wide reforms including EMIR 3 and sustainability reporting, and critical compliance deadlines extending through 2027.

In the Ireland Chapter of the International Asset Management & Investment Funds Review 2026/27, Aaron Mulcahy (Partner) and Adam Sinclair (Of Counsel) from our Funds & Investment Management team...

2009 saw a significant increase in the number of UCITS being established which pursue what would typically be considered to be alternative investment strategies. This trend is expected to continue in 2010.

The Supreme Court, in Delaney v The Personal Injuries Assessment Board, the Judicial Council, Ireland and the Attorney General [2024] IESC10, has upheld the legality...

Ireland's Budget 2027 introduces a lower exit tax rate for fund investors, clearer rules for Irish ETFs, and a new Retail Investment Account, while leaving the controversial eight-year deemed disposal rule unchanged. The package also includes Pillar Two updates, interest relief reforms, and a capital gains tax reduction, offering targeted refinements for the financial services sector rather than the fundamental reform many had anticipated.

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 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).

Ireland has introduced significant amendments to its beneficial ownership registers in 2026, implementing the Sixth Anti-Money Laundering Directive (AMLD6) framework. These reforms fundamentally restructure access rights to the Central Register of Beneficial Ownership of Trusts and Corporate Entities, moving away from unrestricted public access toward a tiered system that balances transparency with privacy rights while maintaining accessibility for legitimate anti-money laundering purposes.

The European Union has reached a political agreement to amend the AI Act, introducing targeted changes aimed at simplifying compliance requirements for businesses while maintaining protective standards.

The Listing Act Directive introduces significant reforms to the MiFID II research regime, allowing investment firms greater flexibility in paying for research and execution services. This briefing examines how the removal of market capitalisation thresholds restores bundling as a commercial option and establishes a new EU framework for issuer-sponsored research.

Following President Trump's recent confirmation that U.S economic sanctions on Iran will be reinstated, Muireann Reedy looks at the penalties ...

The European Commission's proposed overhaul of the SFDR regime is entering crucial trialogue negotiations, with the Irish Presidency aiming to reach agreement by year-end. While the Council and Parliament have aligned on key issues like professional investor opt-outs, significant divergences remain on exclusion criteria for Transition funds, PAI reporting requirements, and engagement strategy disclosures that will shape the future of sustainable finance regulation.

On 1 October 2026, AMLA finalised three sets of regulatory technical standards (RTS) defining key measures companies and professionals must apply to reduce money laundering and terrorist financing risks.