Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 231/2013Show full title

SECTION 1 Particulars of the written contract (Article 21(2) of Directive 2011/61/EU)

Article 83 Contractual particulars

1. A contract by which the depositary is appointed in accordance with Article 21(2) of Directive 2011/61/EU shall be drawn up between the depositary on the one hand and the AIFM and, as the case may be, or the AIF on the other hand and shall include at least the following elements:

(a) a description of the services to be provided by the depositary and the procedures to be adopted for each type of asset in which the AIF may invest and which shall then be entrusted to the depositary;

(b) a description of the way in which the safe-keeping and oversight function is to be performed depending on the types of assets and the geographical regions in which the AIF plans to invest. With respect to the custody duties this description shall include country lists and procedures for adding and, as the case may be, or withdrawing countries from that list. This shall be consistent with the information provided in the AIF rules, instruments of incorporation and offering documents regarding the assets in which the AIF may invest;

(c) a statement that the depositary’s liability shall not be affected by any delegation of its custody functions unless it has discharged itself of its liability in accordance with Article 21(13) or (14) of Directive 2011/61/EU;

(d) the period of validity and the conditions for amendment and termination of the contract including the situations which could lead to the termination of the contract and details regarding the termination procedure and, if applicable, the procedures by which the depositary should send all relevant information to its successor;

(e) the confidentiality obligations applicable to the parties in accordance with relevant laws and regulations. These obligations shall not impair the ability of competent authorities to have access to the relevant documents and information;

(f) the means and procedures by which the depositary transmits to the AIFM or the AIF all relevant information that it needs to perform its duties including the exercise of any rights attached to assets, and in order to allow the AIFM and the AIF to have a timely and accurate overview of the accounts of the AIF;

(g) the means and procedures by which the AIFM or the AIF transmits all relevant information or ensures the depositary has access to all the information it needs to fulfil its duties, including the procedures ensuring that the depositary will receive information from other parties appointed by the AIF or the AIFM;

(h) information on whether or not the depositary, or a third party to whom safe-keeping functions are delegated in accordance with Article 21(11) of Directive 2011/61/EU may re-use the assets it has been entrusted with and, if any, the conditions attached to any such re-use;

(i) the procedures to be followed when an amendment to the AIF rules, instruments of incorporation or offering documents is being considered, detailing the situations in which the depositary is to be informed, or where the prior agreement of the depositary is needed to proceed with the amendment;

(j) all necessary information that needs to be exchanged between the AIF, the AIFM, a third party acting on behalf of the AIF or the AIFM, on the one hand, and the depositary, on the other hand, related to the sale, subscription, redemption, issue, cancellation and re-purchase of units or shares of the AIF;

(k) all necessary information that needs to be exchanged between the AIF, the AIFM, a third party acting on behalf of the AIF or the AIFM and the depositary related to the performance of the depositary’s oversight and control function;

(l) where the parties to the contract envisage appointing third parties to carry out parts of their respective duties, a commitment to provide, on a regular basis, details of any third party appointed and, upon request, information on the criteria used to select the third party and the steps envisaged to monitor the activities carried out by the selected third party;

(m) information on the tasks and responsibilities of the parties to the contract in respect of obligations relating to the prevention of money laundering and the financing of terrorism;

(n) information on all cash accounts opened in the name of the AIF or in the name of the AIFM acting on behalf of the AIF and the procedures ensuring that the depositary will be informed when any new account is opened in the name of the AIF or in the name of the AIFM acting on behalf of the AIF;

(o) details regarding the depositary’s escalation procedures, including the identification of the persons to be contacted within the AIF and, as the case may be, or the AIFM by the depositary when it launches such a procedure;

(p) a commitment by the depositary to notify the AIFM when it becomes aware that the segregation of assets is not, or is no longer sufficient to ensure protection from insolvency of a third party, to whom safe-keeping functions are delegated in accordance with Article 21(11) of Directive 2011/61/EU in a specific jurisdiction;

(q) the procedures ensuring that the depositary, in respect of its duties, has the ability to enquire into the conduct of the AIFM and, as the case may be, or the AIF and to assess the quality of information transmitted including by way of having access to the books of the AIF and, as the case may be, or AIFM or by way of on-site visits;

(r) the procedures ensuring that the AIFM and, as the case may be, or the AIF can review the performance of the depositary in respect of the depositary’s contractual obligations.

2. The details of the means and procedures set out in points (a) to (r) shall be described in the contract appointing the depositary or any subsequent amendment to the contract.

3. The contract appointing the depositary or the subsequent amendment to the contract referred to in paragraph 2 shall be done in writing.

4. The parties may agree to transmit all or part of the information that flows between them electronically provided that proper recording of such information is ensured.

5. Unless otherwise provided by national law, there shall be no obligation to enter into a specific written agreement for each AIF; it shall be possible for the AIFM and the depositary to enter into a framework agreement listing the AIFs managed by that AIFM to which the agreement applies.

6. The national law applicable to the contract appointing the depositary and any subsequent agreement shall be specified.