Financial Market Authority (Liechtenstein)
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Agency overview | |
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Formed | 1 January 2005 |
Jurisdiction | Principality of Liechtenstein |
Headquarters | Vaduz, Liechtenstein |
Employees | 58 |
Agency executive | Dr. Urs Philipp Roth-Cuony, Chairman |
Website | http://www.fma-li.li |
The Financial Market Authority (German: Finanzmarktaufsicht) is the primary financial regulatory agency of the Principality of Liechtenstein. It is an independent, integrated financial market supervisory authority operating under public law and covers all financial markets in Liechtenstein.
History
The FMA was launched on 1 Jan 2005 as an independent, integrated financial market supervisory authority. As financial markets are an important part of Economy of Liechtenstein, it accounts for over 30% of GDP,[1] the Government and Parliament of Liechtenstein committed themselves to a strong and independent financial regulator.
Significant Incidents
In 2008 a former data entry clerk at LGT Group, a trust regulated by the FMA, stole data from the bank and sold it to tax authorities in other countries, sparking the 2008 Liechtenstein tax affair which threatened Liechtenstein's financial sector. The FMA had significant involvement in the investigation of the incident as well as working with the government to minimise the damage caused to the whole financial sector.
In June 2009 the Liechtenstein parliament discussed and criticized the increased financial expenditures for financial market supervision. The FMA responded saying "...that it took this discussion seriously and drew attention to the demands on supervisory authorities of internationally oriented financial centers have increased, irrespective of the size of a financial center. It also noted that the Government and Parliament have expressly committed themselves to an independent and strong Financial Market Authority.[2]"
Responsibilities and functions
The FMA is responsible for safeguarding the stability of the financial market, protection of clients, prevention of abuse, and the implementation of and compliance with recognized international standards.
Its core principles are;
- Supervision - supervise consistently and fairly, granting licenses, fight abuses and punish violations.
- Regulation - regulate with stakeholders, meeting international standards taking into account the competitiveness of the Liechtenstein financial market.
- External relations - cultivate dialogue with other international agencies
- Enterprise - independent, internally organized according to private sector principles.
- Team - Value each other in our interactions.
The FMA covers, the regulation of banks, insurance companies, pensions funds, investment companies and brokers.
Through Liechtenstein’s membership of the European Economic Area (EEA) licenses issued by FMA allow companies to operate some services through all member countries of the EEA.
Structure
- The Board[3]
- Dr. Urs Philipp Roth-Cuony, Chairman
- Prof. Dr. Roland Müller, Vice Chairman
- Dr. Ivo Furrer
- Bernhard Lampert
- Dr. Michael Ritter
- General Management[4]
- Mario Gassner, CEO
- Dr. Alexander Imhof, Deputy of the CEO
- Rolf Brüggemann, Head of Banking Division
- Dr. Marcel Lötscher, Head of Securities Division
- Patrick Bont, Head of Other Financial Service Providers Division
See also
- Securities Commission
References
- ↑ The FMA - Financial Market Authority Liechtenstein
- ↑ The Liechtenstein financial center is stable
- ↑ "FMA - Board of Directors". http://www.fma-li.li/''. Archived from the original on 18 June 2014. Retrieved 18 June 2014.
- ↑ "FMA - Executive Board". http://www.fma-li.li''. Archived from the original on 18 June 2014. Retrieved 18 June 2014.