On 10 November 2020 the Malta Financial Services Authority (the
“MFSA”) published a revised version of
the Standard Licence Conditions applicable to Collective Investment
Schemes authorised to invest through loans (the “Loan
Fund Rules”).
As part of the framework's restructuring, the MFSA carried
out an assessment of the Loan Fund Rules in view of new market
developments, the current economic scenario and the direction being
taken at EU level with regards to loan origination by funds. The
MFSA, inter alia, took note of the focus being placed on
the area of non-bank financing by the European Commission, within
the wider context of the Capital Markets Union, which, in
particular, is aiming to make it easier for small and medium sized
enterprises (SMEs) to be able to tap into
alternative sources of funding and consequently, reduce their
over-reliance on bank financing, in order to ensure that SMEs have
access to adequate financing and can further diversify