1.This Directive applies to undertakings for collective investment in transferable securities (UCITS) established within the territories of the Member States.
2.For the purposes of this Directive, and subject to Article 3, UCITS means an undertaking:
(a)with the sole object of collective investment in transferable securities or in other liquid financial assets referred to in Article 50(1) of capital raised from the public and which operate on the principle of risk-spreading; and
(b)with units which are, at the request of holders, repurchased or redeemed, directly or indirectly, out of those undertakings’ assets. Action taken by a UCITS to ensure that the stock exchange value of its units does not significantly vary from their net asset value shall be regarded as equivalent to such repurchase or redemption.
Member States may allow UCITS to consist of several investment compartments.
3.The undertakings referred to in paragraph 2 may be constituted in accordance with contract law (as common funds managed by management companies), trust law (as unit trusts), or statute (as investment companies).
For the purposes of this Directive:
(a)‘common funds’ shall also include unit trusts;
(b)‘units’ of UCITS shall also include shares of UCITS.
4.Investment companies, the assets of which are invested through the intermediary of subsidiary companies, mainly other than in transferable securities, shall not be subject to this Directive.
5.The Member States shall prohibit UCITS which are subject to this Directive from transforming themselves into collective investment undertakings which are not covered by this Directive.
6.Subject to the provisions in Community law governing capital movements and subject to Articles 91 and 92 and the second subparagraph of Article 108(1), no Member State shall apply any other provisions in the field covered by this Directive to UCITS established in another Member State or to the units issued by such UCITS, where those UCITS market their units within the territory of that Member State.
7.Without prejudice to this Chapter, a Member State may apply to UCITS established within its territory requirements which are stricter than or additional to those laid down in this Directive, provided that they are of general application and do not conflict with the provisions of this Directive.