General

The Commission has today updated the Handbook following the December consultation regarding changes to rules and guidance in Chapters 3 and 7 on the risk-based approach and on legal persons and legal arrangements. Updates have also been made to Chapter 12 on international sanctions to reflect the new mechanism for the implementation of UN and UK sanctions in Guernsey following Brexit. The revised...

The Commission is today stating that late filing fees will not be applied in respect of all regulatory returns that are due to be submitted between now and the end of June provided they are submitted within two months of the original deadline. Although the timelines on the Commission’s Online returns portal for returns will not be altered so the original dates will still show, the Commission will...

The Commission has elected Advocate Simon Howitt as its Vice-Chairman. He succeeds Bob Moore who stood down as a Commissioner at the end of last month after nine years’ service. Advocate Howitt has over thirty years’ experience as an advocate and is a consultant at Babbé having previously been a Partner. He served as President of the Guernsey Chamber of Commerce between 2001 and 2003. Advocate...

The Commission confirms that with effect from Monday 25 January 2021, the vast majority of its staff will be home working. The Commission’s Authorisations team remains open for business. The switchboard will continue to operate during normal office hours and callers will be asked by the receptionist to provide their contact details in order that a member of staff can call or email them back. Firms...

Introduction On the 30th of October 2015 the States of Deliberation approved the Policy Letter submitted by the Policy Council on the Revision of the Financial Supervisory and Regulatory Laws. Representatives of the States of Alderney and the Chief Pleas of Sark has previously indicated their support for the proposals which followed a public consultation process, together with the Law Officers of...

The Commission has today updated Appendix I to the Handbook as a result of the FATF's announcement that it has removed The Bahamas from its list of jurisdictions under increased monitoring. The Bahamas has strengthened the effectiveness of its AML/CFT system and addressed related technical deficiencies to meet the commitments in its action plan and remedy the strategic deficiencies identified by...

The Financial Services Commission (Bailiwick of Guernsey) Law, 1987 (“the Financial Services Commission Law”). The Regulation of Fiduciaries, Administration Businesses and Company Directors, etc (Bailiwick of Guernsey) Law, 2000 (the “Fiduciaries Law”); The Protection of Investors (Bailiwick of Guernsey) Law, 1987 (the “POI Law”); The Insurance Managers and Insurance Intermediaries (Bailiwick of...

On 15 November 2019, the Guernsey Financial Services Commission (“the Commission”) applied to the Royal Court of Guernsey under section 427 of The Companies (Guernsey) Law, 2008 (the “Companies Law”), to seek a disqualification order against Mr Dawson-Ball. On 8 December 2020, the Deputy Bailiff handed down her judgment in which she disqualified Mr Dawson-Ball from: being a director, secretary or...

In October of this year, the Commission issued a consultation paper proposing amendments to the Insurance Business (Solvency) Rules 2015 which would see the introduction of a specific approach for green assets into the Solvency Rules and help to incentivise increased investment in green assets by life insurers. The background to this move follows global political and public debate around...