UK: The Proxy Advisors (Shareholders’ Rights) Regulations 2019

The Proxy Advisors (Shareholders’ Rights) Regulations 2019 were laid before Parliament yesterday and come into force on 10 June: see here or here (pdf). The Regulations are accompanied by an impact assessment and explanatory memorandum: see, respectively, here (pdf) here (pdf). The Regulations introduce a new transparency framework for proxy advisors; as the memorandum explains (para. 2.1):

This instrument transposes Article 3j of the revised EU Shareholder Rights Directive (SRD II) into UK law, in line with the UK’s obligations as a member of the EU. Article 3j of SRD II places requirements on proxy advisors, which primarily offer voting services and/or advice to shareholders in publicly listed companies, to make certain disclosures about the way in which they conduct their business". 

Under the framework being introduced by the Regulations, the Financial Conduct Authority will become responsible for enforcing the new requirements placed on proxy advisors, including the obligation to disclose publicly the code of conduct* that has been adopted (with an explanation provided if a code is not adopted). Proxy advisors will be required to notify the FCA if they fall within the new framework and the FCA will maintain a public list.

* - The BPP Group is currently revising its Best Practice Principles for Shareholder Voting Research. The review is expected to be completed next month; an update on the review was published last month: see here.