Article 9
Requirements applicable to shareholders and members with qualifying holdings
The competent authority shall verify that the request of an applicant for authorisation as an investment firm, in accordance to Title II of Directive 2014/65/EU, offers sufficient guarantees for a sound and prudent management of the entity by assessing the suitability of proposed shareholders and members with qualifying holdings, having regard to the likely influence on the investment firm of each proposed shareholder or member with qualifying holdings, against all of the following criteria:
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(a) |
the reputation and experience of any person who will direct the business of the investment firm; |
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(b) |
the reputation of the proposed shareholders and members with qualifying holdings; |
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(c) |
the financial soundness of the proposed shareholders and members with qualifying holding, in particular in relation to the type of business pursued and envisaged in the investment firm; |
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(d) |
whether the investment firm will be able to comply and continue to comply with the prudential requirements set out in Article 15 of Directive 2014/65/EU and, where applicable, Directives 2002/87/EC (6) and 2013/36/EU (7) of the European Parliament and of the Council and in particular, whether the group of which it will become a part has a structure that makes it possible to exercise effective supervision, effectively exchange information among the competent authorities and determine the allocation of responsibilities among the competent authorities; |
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(e) |
whether there are reasonable grounds to suspect that, in connection with the authorisation of the investment firm, money laundering or terrorist financing within the meaning of Article 1 of Directive 2005/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (8) is being or has been committed or attempted, or that the authorisation of the investment firm could increase the risk thereof. |
(6) Directive 2002/87/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 2002 on the supplementary supervision of credit institutions, insurance undertakings and investment firms in a financial conglomerate and amending Council Directives 73/239/EEC, 79/267/EEC, 92/49/EEC, 92/96/EEC, 93/6/EEC and 93/22/EEC, and Directives 98/78/EC and 2000/12/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 35, 11.2.2003, p. 1).
(7) Directive 2013/36/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 June 2013 on access to the activity of credit institutions and the prudential supervision of credit institutions and investment firms, amending Directive 2002/87/EC and repealing Directives 2006/48/EC and 2006/49/EC (OJ L 176, 27.6.2013, p. 338).
(8) Directive 2005/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 October 2005 on the prevention of the use of the financial system for the purpose of money laundering and terrorist financing (OJ L 309, 25.11.2005, p. 15).