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eIDAS               Pan-European Personal


              Pension Products (PEPP)









 Background  In the spring of 2018, the European Commission launched a pilot project   Regulation on PEPP  Background
 to make eIDAS better known and to enhance the uptake of the eIDAS tools
 by SMEs, amongst others focusing on SMEs in the financial services sector.  After the European Parliament and the Council of the EU had proposed
 The eIDAS Regulation has applied   several amendments to the Commission’s proposal for Regulation  on   In June 2017, the European
 since 2016 and creates a European   BIPAR participated in a number of events organised by the Commission   PEPP, the three European legislators agreed on the text in trilogue in early   Commission published a proposal
 and shared the information packs and tools with its members (practical   2019. The text was published in the Official Journal of the EU in July 2019.
 internal market for the so-called                                            for Regulation on a Pan-European
 guides, checklists, interactive tools, …).
 “eTrust Services” by ensuring that   BIPAR and its member associations have been very active on this file all   Personal Pension Product (PEPP).
 these Services will work across   This also included a specific 1-hour Commission webinar in October 2018   along the legislative process.   It was adopted and published early
 on the possible use of the eIDAS systems and services by SMEs in the finan-
 borders and have the same legal status                                       2019. Work on level II is now on
 cial services sector.  The webinar aimed to demonstrate the benefits of   Some key features of PEPP:
 as traditional paper-based processes.                                        its way. The Regulation will apply
 introducing eIDAS solutions into daily business in the financial services sec-
 tor, focusing on:  -   PEPP is available to individuals with their residence in one of the   (directly) 12 months after publication
 These eTrust services are e-signatures,   -   Specific applications,  EU Member States, irrespective of their nationality.  of the level II. The Regulation deals
 -   Benefits for SMEs in the financial sector: productivity gains, cus-  -   PEPP can only be provided and distributed in the Union where
 electronic seals (i.e. the electronic                                        with the registration, manufacturing,
 tomer experience,  national authorities decide that they can be registered. This is done in a
 equivalent of a seal or stamp which is   -   Practical examples of implementation.  central public register, kept by EIOPA   distribution and supervision of PEPP.

 applied on a document to guarantee   -   PEPP can be provided by credit institutions,  insurers (engaged   PEPP is intended as an optional, 2nd
 The pilot project was concluded at the end of 2018 but the material remains   in direct life insurance), IORPs under certain conditions, investment firms
 its origin and integrity), electronic                                        regime instrument, complementary
 accessible on the Commission’s website.  providing portfolio management, investment companies or management
 Time Stamps (i.e. date and time on an                                        to the existing state-based (pillar 1),
            companies and EU alternative investment fund managers.
 electronic document which proves   Next steps  Insurance  intermediaries  (under  IDD)  and  investment  firms  providing   occupational (pillar 2) and national

 that the document existed at a point-in-  The European Commission has to report (to the European Parliament and   advice (under MiFID II) can distribute PEPP   personal pensions (pillar 3) and has
 the  Council)  on  the  application  of  the  eIDAS  Regulation  by  1  July  2020.   -   PEPP providers have to offer a “Basic PEPP”, which is a “simple
 time and that it has not changed since                                       standardised key product features.
 The report will assess to what extent the eIDAS framework remains fit for   and affordable default investment option” and where costs and fees shall
 then), electronic registered delivery   purpose delivering the intended outcomes, results and impacts and may   not exceed 1 % of the accumulated capital per year. The Basic PEPP has to   The Commission described PEPP
 service (i.e. the equivalent in the digital   identify possible further actions to improve regulatory performance. The   provide capital protection (capital guarantee or other risk mitigation tech-  as “a new, additional opportunity
 Commission will conduct an evaluation in line with the Better Regulation   niques with the objective to ensure that savers recoup the capital invested).
 world for registered mail) and website                                       to save for retirement: simple,
 guidelines, also involving a public and a targeted stakeholder consultation.  Providers may offer up to 6 investment options (including the Basic PEPP).
 authentication certificates (i.e. a                                          transparent & portable”. The PEPP
            All investment options shall be designed on the basis of a guarantee or
 trustmark for websites).     risk-mitigation technique which shall ensure sufficient protection for PEPP   proposal was launched together with a
            savers.                                                           Recommendation on the tax treatment
            -       There will be a precontractual PEPP Key Information Document,
 The eIDAS Regulation ensures that                                            of personal pension products,
            largely following the example of the PRIIPs KID. This PEPP KID will also con-
 people and businesses can use their   tain a heading on costs, including the cost of distribution. The PEPP KID   including PEPP.  The initiatives are part
 own national electronic identification   shall include a clear indication that the PEPP provider or PEPP distribu-  of the bigger framework of the Capital
 schemes (eIDs) to access public   tor shall provide information detailing any cost of distribution that is not   Markets Union.
            already included in the costs specified, so as to enable the PEPP saver to
 services in other EU countries where
            understand the cumulative effect that those aggregate costs have on the
 eIDs are available (this happens on   return of the investment. On top of the PEPP KID, there is a standardised
 the basis of mutual recognition; for   PEPP Benefit Statement during the product lifetime.
            -       PEPP portability: this concerns the possibility of continuing to con-
 the private sector the legislation only
            tribute into an existing PEPP account when changing residence to another
 encourages Member States to open   Member State. In case portability is not available, consumers can switch
 the use of eID to the private sector).  provider free of charge or can continue to contribute to the PEPP of the
            previous country. Within three years of the date of application of the Regu-
            lation, each PEPP provider shall offer national sub-accounts for at least two



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