Article 27
Obligation to execute orders on terms most favourable to the client
1.
Member States shall require that investment firms take all sufficient steps to obtain, when executing orders, the best possible result for their clients taking into account price, costs, speed, likelihood of execution and settlement, size, nature or any other consideration relevant to the execution of the order. Nevertheless, where there is a specific instruction from the client the investment firm shall execute the order following the specific instruction.
Where an investment firm executes an order on behalf of a retail client, the best possible result shall be determined in terms of the total consideration, representing the price of the financial instrument and the costs relating to execution, which shall include all expenses incurred by the client which are directly relating to the execution of the order, including execution venue fees, clearing and settlement fees and any other fees paid to third parties involved in the execution of the order.
For the purposes of delivering best possible result in accordance with the first subparagraph where there is more than one competing venue to execute an order for a financial instrument, in order to assess and compare the results for the client that would be achieved by executing the order on each of the execution venues listed in the investment firm’s order execution policy that is capable of executing that order, the investment firm’s own commissions and the costs for executing the order on each of the eligible execution venues shall be taken into account in that assessment.
3.
With regard to financial instruments that are subject to the trading obligations laid down in Articles 23 and 28 of Regulation (EU) No 600/2014, Member States shall require that, following the execution of an order on behalf of a client, an investment firm inform the client of the venue where the order was executed.
4.
Member States shall require investment firms to establish and implement effective arrangements for complying with paragraph 1. In particular, Member States shall require investment firms to establish and implement an order execution policy to allow them to obtain, for their client orders, the best possible result in accordance with paragraph 1.
5.
The order execution policy shall include, in respect of each class of financial instruments, information on the different venues where the investment firm executes its client orders and the factors affecting the choice of execution venue. It shall at least include those venues that enable the investment firm to obtain on a consistent basis the best possible result for the execution of client orders.
Member States shall require that investment firms provide appropriate information to their clients on their order execution policy. That information shall explain clearly, in sufficient detail and in a way that can be easily understood by clients, how orders will be executed by the investment firm for the client. Member States shall require that investment firms obtain the prior consent of their clients to the order execution policy.
Member States shall require that, where the order execution policy provides for the possibility that client orders may be executed outside a trading venue, the investment firm shall, in particular, inform its clients about that possibility. Member States shall require that investment firms obtain the prior express consent of their clients before proceeding to execute their orders outside a trading venue. Investment firms may obtain such consent either in the form of a general agreement or in respect of individual transactions.
7.
Member States shall require investment firms which execute client orders to monitor the effectiveness of their order execution arrangements and execution policy for the purpose of identifying and, where appropriate, correcting any deficiencies. In particular, Member States shall require such investment firms to assess, on a regular basis, whether the execution venues included in the order execution policy provide for the best possible result for the client or whether they need to make changes to their execution arrangements. Member States shall require investment firms to notify clients with whom they have an ongoing client relationship of any material changes to their order execution arrangements or execution policy.
8.
Member States shall require investment firms to be able to demonstrate to their clients, at their request, that they have executed their orders in accordance with the investment firm’s execution policy and to demonstrate to the competent authority, at its request, their compliance with this Article.
9.
The Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 89 concerning:
(a)
the criteria for determining the relative importance of the different factors that, pursuant to paragraph 1, may be taken into account for determining the best possible result taking into account the size and type of order and the retail or professional nature of the client;
(b)
factors that may be taken into account by an investment firm when reviewing its execution arrangements and the circumstances under which changes to such arrangements may be appropriate. In particular, the factors for determining which venues enable investment firms to obtain on a consistent basis the best possible result for executing the client orders;
(c)
the nature and extent of the information to be provided to clients on their execution policies, pursuant to paragraph 5.
10.
ESMA shall develop draft regulatory technical standards to specify the criteria to be taken into account in establishing and assessing the effectiveness of the order execution policy pursuant to paragraphs 5 and 7, taking into account whether the orders are executed on behalf of retail or professional clients.
Those criteria shall include at least the following:
(a)
factors determining the choice of execution venues included in the order execution policy;
(b)
the frequency of assessing and updating the order execution policy;
(c)
the manner in which to identify classes of financial instruments as referred to in paragraph 5.
ESMA shall submit those draft regulatory technical standards to the Commission by 29 December 2024.
Power is delegated to the Commission to supplement this Directive by adopting the regulatory technical standards referred to in the first subparagraph in accordance with Articles 10 to 14 of Regulation (EU) No 1095/2010.