Címke: act legal Germany

Complaints about product governance

BaFin has examined product providers as well as distributors, i.e. portfolio managers, investment advisors, etc., and found numerous reasons for objections. The complaints relate in particular to the following topics:

PRODUCT PROVIDER

Target market identification

When determining the target market, product providers must specify exactly what knowledge, experience, risk appetite, etc. the investors must have who are to be suitable for the product in question. The more complex a product is, the more extensive and in-depth the individual characteristics of the potential target customers must be designed (proportionality principle) to ensure that only customers within the target market are eligible for purchase.

BaFin has found that product providers rarely base their target market definition on the proportionality principle. There is a need for improvement here.

Costs and fees

The cost and fee structure must also fit the target customers. Costs, for example, must not eat up the expected return. Product providers must calculate and evaluate this accordingly when designing the product.

DISTRIBUTORS

Target market identification

For distributors, the target market must be determined individually against the background of the company’s own customer base. An independent target market definition must therefore be carried out; an unchecked takeover from the product provider is not sufficient. The following also applies to this target market definition: the more complex a product is, the more extensive and in-depth the individual characteristics of the potential target customers must be (principle of proportionality).

RESPONSIBILITIES, IMPLEMENTATION

Responsibilities

The responsibility for proper target market determination in compliance with the proportionality principle lies with the respective product provider or sales company. They cannot therefore delegate these tasks in one direction or the other.

Implementation in organizational guidelines

The best way to counter BaFin’s objections is to include appropriate requirements in your organizational guidelines.

We have years of experience in drafting them and therefore know exactly what is important and how you can implement them in a way that fits your corporate culture. Please feel free to contact us at any time and arrange a meeting.

• Energy trendsetter acquires 49 percent stake in PV plant in Biehla near Kamenz (Saxony)
• Installed capacity to be expanded to a total of around 1.75 MWp by spring 2023

With the acquisition of its first own solar park, Germany’s largest green energy discounter eprimo is actively driving forward the energy transition. The PV park in Biehla (Saxony) will supply almost 590 households with climate-friendly energy. From April 2023, eprimo will make the electricity generated available to its customers via a direct purchase agreement (Power Purchase Agreement).

From now on, 49 percent of the solar park in Biehla near Kamenz in Saxony will be owned by eprimo, while RenExpert GmbH will hold a 51 percent share. The PV plant, whose first construction phase has been in operation since October 2021, currently generates an output of just under 750 kWp. This year, the expansion will start with a planned additional output of around 1 MWp. Commissioning is scheduled for spring 2023. The solar park will then have a total yield of 1.8 GWh. With an average consumption of around 3,100 kWh per household, this plant alone is expected to supply around 590 households with green electricity.

Due to the direct purchase agreement, the electricity is purchased in such a way that the customers of the eprimo Green Power Community (GSC) are directly supplied with the generated energy. This means that GSC customers can use the locally produced green power even if they do not generate their own electricity. For every kWh consumed by the GSC, eprimo provides 0.3 cents and thus promotes the further expansion of renewable energies with the eprimo Sonnencent. The PV park in Biehla is the first PV plant financed with the Sonnencent.

About eprimo

eprimo, the energy changer. As Germany’s green energy discounter with the most customers, eprimo is a provider of green electricity and green gas and brings the energy turnaround to over 1.7 million households. All customers are offered numerous opportunities to actively participate in the expansion of renewable energies: Through attractive additional payments for prosumers, the promotion of new PV systems with the Sonnencent, and participation in citizen energy projects, their customers become #energiewendemachers. As a company, eprimo also acts sustainably and is climate-neutral in all its business activities.

Advisors eprimo

act legal Germany (act AC Tischendorf Rechtsanwälte) – Marcus Columbu (Lead Partner; Regulatory & Finance); Dr. Fabian Brocke, LL.M. (M&A); Dr. Fabian Laugwitz, MBA, LL.M. Eur. (Real Estate); Sarah Landsberg (Corporate)