Financial Services and Markets Act 2000

312B Removal of passport rights from EEA market operator U.K.

(1) The Authority may prohibit an EEA market operator from making or, as the case may be, continuing arrangements in the United Kingdom, in pursuance of the applicable provision, to facilitate access to, or use of, a regulated market or multilateral trading facility operated by the operator if—

(a) the Authority has clear and demonstrable grounds for believing that the operator has contravened a relevant requirement, and

(b) the Authority has first complied with subsections (3) to (9).

(2) A requirement is relevant if it is imposed—

(a) by the operator's home state regulator in the implementation of the markets in financial instruments directive or any Community legislation made under that directive;

(b) by provision implementing that directive, or any Community legislation made under it, in the operator's home state; or

(c) by any directly applicable Community regulation made under that directive.

(3) The Authority must notify the operator and its home state regulator of its finding under subsection (1)(a).

(4) The notice to the home state regulator under subsection (3) must—

(a) request that the home state regulator take all appropriate measures for the purpose of ensuring that the operator puts an end to the contravention; and

(b) state that the Authority proposes to exercise the power under subsection (1) if the operator continues the contravention.

(5) The Authority may not exercise the power under subsection (1) unless satisfied—

(a) either—

(i) that the home state regulator has failed or refused to take measures for the purpose mentioned in subsection (4)(a); or

(ii) that the measures taken by the home state regulator have proved inadequate for that purpose; and

(b) that the operator is acting in a manner which is clearly prejudicial to the interests of investors in the United Kingdom or the orderly functioning of the financial markets.

(6) If the Authority is satisfied as mentioned in subsection (5), it must give written notice to—

(a) the operator, and

(b) the home state regulator,

of its intention to exercise the power under subsection (1).

(7) A notice under subsection (6) must—

(a) state why the Authority intends to exercise its power under subsection (1), and

(b) in the case of the notice to the operator, inform the operator that it may make representations to the Authority before the end of the representation period.

(8) The representation period is—

(a) the period of two months beginning with the date on which the notice is given to the operator; or

(b) such longer period as the Authority may allow in a particular case.

(9) If, having considered any representations made by the operator, the Authority decides to exercise the power under subsection (1), it must—

(a) notify the operator in writing that it will be prohibited from making or, as the case may be, continuing the arrangements mentioned in that subsection from the date specified in the notice; and

(b) notify the home state regulator of the action to be taken in relation to the operator.

(10) If the Authority exercises the power under subsection (1) it must at the earliest opportunity notify the Commission of the action taken in relation to the operator.

(11) The exemption conferred on an operator by section 312A(2) ceases to apply if the Authority exercises the power under subsection (1) in relation to the operator.

(12) The right to make the arrangements mentioned in subsection (1) may be reinstated in relation to the operator (together with the exemption mentioned in subsection (11)) if the Authority is satisfied that the contravention which led to the Authority exercising the power under subsection (1) has been remedied.