PRIIPs

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The PRIIPs (Packaged Retail and Insurance-based Investment Products) regulation, which came into force in January 2018, aims to increase transparency and protection for retail investors in the European Union. It applies to packaged retail and insurance-based investment products, and encompasses a wide range of financial products, such as investment funds, structured products, life insurance contracts and certain derivatives.

One of the main tools introduced by the PRIIPs regulation is the Key Information Document (KID). This standardized document, no more than three pages long, is designed to provide retail investors with a clear, concise overview of the key features of the financial product. In particular, the KID presents the product’s objectives, performance scenarios, associated risks and the costs involved. The idea is to help investors better understand the products they are buying, and more easily compare the offers available on the market.

This regulation was prompted by numerous criticisms of the complexity of financial products, and in particular the difficulty for investors to fully grasp the associated risks. Before PRIIPs, the information provided was often technical, non-standardized and even opaque. The KID seeks to remedy this problem by imposing strict criteria on the way in which information must be communicated.

However, the implementation of PRIIPs has sparked debate. Some voices, particularly from the asset management industry, have criticized the rigidity of the KID and its ability to accurately reflect the reality of complex products. Adjustments to the regulations were regularly discussed in order to improve the accuracy of information, particularly in terms of risk presentation and performance scenarios.

All in all, PRIIPs represents a major turning point in the protection of retail investors in Europe, offering a more transparent and standardized framework for financial products while boosting savers’ confidence in their investments.

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