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Exempt regulated activity meaning

What does Exempt regulated activity mean?
In practice, this describes a financial services regulated activity that a professional firm undertakes while relying on the “Part XX” exemption under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (FSMA). The activity would otherwise require FCA authorisation, but the firm is an exempt professional firm (for example, a firm of solicitors or accountants that is a member of a designated professional body) and carries out the activity in a way that satisfies the statutory conditions. The expression is used in FCA/DPB practice rather than as a standalone statutory definition. The underlying concepts are defined in FSMA and the Regulated Activities Order. Key features are that the activity must be incidental to, and arise out of or be complementary to, the firm’s professional services; the firm must be supervised by its designated professional body and comply with applicable DPB/FCA requirements; and certain higher‑risk activities are excluded. Typical examples include incidental investment advice or arranging insurance in the course of legal or accounting work. The status affects whether the firm needs FCA authorisation and how it manages conduct, disclosure and financial promotion compliance. The regime applies consistently across England & Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. In Ireland, this term is not a defined concept;...
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View the related Checklists about Exempt regulated activity

CHECKLISTS
FSMA 2000 RAO exclusions for investment, insurance, credit and home finance: practitioner checklist with MiFID II, IDD and MCD overrides (UK)

Regulated activities and exclusions Section 19 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (FSMA 2000) bars any individual or entity from undertaking, or holding themselves out as undertaking, a regulated activity in the UK unless they are authorised or exempt under FSMA 2000 (the General Prohibition). Usefully, most activities specified in the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Regulated Activities) Order 2001, SI 2001/544 (RAO) are carved out by exclusions. Where you conduct a given activity in a manner that fits an exclusion, you will not contravene the General Prohibition. For additional detail on the General Prohibition, see Practice Notes The general prohibition and implications of its breach and Carrying on unauthorised business and breaching the general prohibition. Most RAO regulated activities are subject to exclusions that can be used where applicable. Exclusions fall into two groupings: exclusions tailored to a specific regulated activity; and exclusions that, in defined situations, span several regulated activities...

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FLOWCHARTS
Employment disputes: international jurisdiction under Brussels I (recast) for proceedings issued on or before IP completion day (31 December 2020)—flowchart [Archived]

Background to and scope of this flowchart An individual who conducts a regulated activity in the UK in the course of business, where no relevant exclusion or exemption applies, must be authorised under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (FSMA 2000). For details and context on the consequences of carrying on a regulated activity without authorisation, consult Practice Note: The general prohibition and implications of its breach. For an explanation of what it means to carry on business in the UK, see Practice Notes: What does 'by way of business' mean? and Territorial scope of the general prohibition. For guidance on exemptions and exclusions that may apply in particular circumstances, refer to Practice Notes: Regulated activities—exempt persons and Exclusions and exemptions relating to the general prohibition—an introduction...

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FLOWCHARTS
Flowchart: process to exercise step-in rights under a collateral warranty

The defined terms in the flowchart shall have the following meaning: Appointed Representative Regulations — the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Appointed Representatives) Regulations 2001, SI 2001/1217 Business Order — the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Carrying on Regulated Activities by Way of Business) Order 2001, SI 2001/1177 Exemption Order — the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Exemption) Order 2001, SI 2001/1201 Non-Exempt Activities Order — the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Professions) (Non-Exempt Activities) Order 2001, SI 2001/1227 PRA-regulated activities — denotes regulated activities designated as PRA‑regulated activities under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (PRA‑regulated Activities) Order 2013, SI 2013/556 RAO — the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Regulated Activities) Order 2001, SI 2001/544 UCITS qualifier — carries the meaning attributed to it in the Glossary of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) Handbook To determine whether an activity is regulated, follow the flowchart below. Click below to view or print...

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View the related Practice Notes about Exempt regulated activity

PRACTICE NOTES
UK unauthorised financial services business: FSMA 2000 general prohibition, FCA/PRA enforcement, sanctions, remedies and perimeter guidance (PERG/RAO)

The general prohibition At the centre of the UK regulatory framework sits a fundamental restriction: no person may carry on a regulated activity in the UK, or hold themselves out as doing so, unless they are either: authorised by the appropriate regulator, or exempt This is the general prohibition, set out in the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (FSMA 2000), s 19. The inclusion of the phrase ‘or purport to do so’ means a breach can arise even where no regulated activity is actually performed, if someone represents that they do or seeks to undertake it. Further information on the general prohibition, exemptions and the regulators can be found in: The general prohibition—overview The general prohibition and implications of its breach FCA—corporate governance UK regulators—financial services—overview What are regulated activities? Regulated activities—specified activities and investments—overview FCA and PRA authorisation under Part 4A of FSMA 2000 Businesses, firms and...

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PRACTICE NOTES
Groundwater activities under the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016: permitting, offences, exemptions, defences, enforcement and civil sanctions, including standard rules and mobile plant

Introduction What is groundwater? In brief, groundwater is water stored beneath the surface. Rainfall gathers and then infiltrates the soil, percolating through soils and rocks into aquifers—layers of porous rock or sediment. The British Geological Survey notes that groundwater supplies around one third of the public water in England and makes an important contribution in Wales and Scotland. What is groundwater activity Government guidance explains that a groundwater activity includes: discharging a pollutant that causes, or could cause, a direct or indirect input to groundwater any other discharge that may lead to a direct or indirect pollutant input to groundwater an activity subject to a Schedule 22 notice that has taken effect an activity, carried out as part of another class of regulated facility, that may cause such a discharge The guidance further states it is an offence to cause or knowingly permit a groundwater activity unless authorised by a permit or registered as exempt. Environmental...

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PRACTICE NOTES
Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016: scope, regulators, offences, permits, applications, standard rules, variations, transfers, surrender, exemptions and forthcoming reforms

Introduction Environmental permitting is among the principal environmental regulatory frameworks in the UK. Its purpose is to oversee and limit pollution and emissions into the environment arising from industrial and other operations across the UK. It forms a central strand of UK business regulation, created to manage and oversee activities that could pollute the environment or pose risks to human health. Permits place a suite of conditions on the design and build, running and, in due course, closure of a regulated installation, as well as stipulating how regulated activities are undertaken. The main regulators are the Environment Agency (EA) in England, Natural Resources Body for Wales (NRW), the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA). Local authorities likewise regulate the less polluting processes and sites. The lead government departments/bodies (the appropriate authorities) are the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) for England together with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (the Secretary of State); Welsh Ministers; Scottish Ministers;...

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Q&As
Consumer credit regime: family, friends & trust loans caught?

The regulation of consumer credit Under section 19 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (FSMA 2000), no one may perform a regulated activity, or even hold themselves out as doing so, within the UK unless they are an authorised person—authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and/or the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)—or an exempt person, for example as an appointed representative. For a high-level outline of the UK regulated activities regime, see Practice Note: What are regulated activities? An activity is regulated where it is of a ‘specified kind’—that is, specified in the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Regulated Activities) Order 2001 (RAO), SI 2001/544—and is carried on by way of business...

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Q&As
Oral loan for friend's property purchase: CCA & FCA authorisation

What is the regulatory regime under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (FSMA 2000) Under section 19 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, the general prohibition applies: a person must not carry on a regulated activity in the UK, or even purport to do so, unless they are within one of the permitted categories below. An authorised person (that is, authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and/or the Financial Conduct Authority) An exempt person (for example, an appointed representative) For an outline of the UK regime governing regulated activities, see Practice Note: What are regulated activities? An activity is regulated if it is of a ‘specified kind’—as listed in the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Regulated Activities) Order 2001 (RAO 2001), SI 2001/544—and it is carried on by way of business. For further detail on what amounts to carrying on a regulated activity ‘by way of business’ in the UK, refer to Practice Notes: What does ‘by...

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View the related UK Parliament Acts about Exempt regulated activity

UK PARLIAMENT ACTS
19 The general prohibition

19  The general prohibition(1)     No person may carry on a regulated activity in the United Kingdom, or purport to do so, unless he is—(a)     an authorised person; or(b)     an exempt person.(2)     The prohibition is referred to in this Act as the general prohibition.

UK PARLIAMENT ACTS
325 [FCA's] general duty

325  [FCA's] general duty(1)     The [FCA] must keep itself informed about—(a)     the way in which designated professional bodies supervise and regulate the carrying on of exempt regulated activities by members of the professions in relation to which they are established;(b)     the way in which such members are carrying on exempt regulated activities.(2)     In this Part—“exempt regulated activities” means regulated activities which may, as a result of this Part, be carried on by members of a profession which is supervised and regulated by a designated