www.lff.lu - Thanks to its expertise and longstanding
experience in financial services, the Luxembourg financial centre
doesn’t need to hide behind Singapore or London. This was the principal
message of Ernst Wilhelm Contzen and Carlo Thill, re-elected President
and Vice President of the Luxembourg Bankers’ Association (ABBL)
Over the last 30 years, the
Luxembourg financial centre has constantly adapted to new regulatory
measures and legislation, and it will continue to do so in the future.
That applies not only for private banking, the sector Luxembourg is most
known and respected for, but also for the fund industry. Despite the
obstacles in the way to a sustainable financial centre, like Fatca for
instance, Thill is confident that Luxembourg can benefit from its past
experience. “I am sure that we can face the future optimistically”, he
said at the press conference on the occasion of the ABBLs’ general
meeting 2012. (source)
Though the traditional fiscal
secrecy is now history, the Luxembourg financial centre is well
positioned. “Due to our history, we can benefit from know-how and
resources other financial centres don’t have”, explains Thill. Numerous
service providers, lawyers and consultants can help demanding clients
structure their portfolio. “This diversity is unique. Luxembourg offers
all services in one single place”, underlines Thill.
Transparent, compliant Luxembourg
It’s not only the glamorous
private banking where Luxembourg is a front-runner in the Eurozone. It
is also a renowned hub for depositary banks for the investment fund
industry. Both sectors have one thing in common: all structuring
vehicles offered are transparent and compliant with European law. This
has already made the world’s biggest bank, ICBC, establish its European
hub in Luxembourg. Other Swiss and German banks have opted for the same
strategic move.
On the investment fund industry
side, Luxembourg can claim to be the first jurisdiction to apply the
Alternative Investment Fund Manager Directive (AIFMD) into national law.
The first positive results can be seen in the private equity business,
where business has increased significantly in the last years.
In terms of sustainable finance,
“Luxembourg has been on the train since before it departed”, says Thill.
There is no other European financial centre that can compete with
Luxembourg in the field of Islamic finance, for instance.
Not only has the business
environment changed since the financial crisis, but also its clientele:
the majority of clients in the past came from neighbouring countries
like Belgium, France and Germany with an average fortune of 250,000
Euros; the trend has changed to fortunes from 1 million to more than 5
million Euros, entrusted by clients from Europe, the Middle East and
Asia.
These clients are international
entrepreneurs that are looking for structuring and pension vehicles,
combined with professionalism and confidentiality. “These people prefer a
stable place in terms of society, politics and taxes”, says Thill.
However, Luxembourg will not only
stay attractive for clients, but also for future employees. A recent
project by the ABBL has been the set-up of a charter for gender
equality. Some banks already have implemented these mew measures.
One law for everybody
But sustainability has to be more
than just ensuring that one’s own country does well. Ernst Wilhelm
Contzen emphasizes that Luxembourg banks only borrowed about 1 billion
Euros from the European central bank, which is not a vast amount. Also,
they shouldered their responsibility during the recent debt crisis.
According to Contzen, “the Luxembourg banks kept their amortization on
Greek securities of about 1 billion Euros and didn’t sell them off”.
Contzen underlines: “Luxembourg
clearly commits itself to a transparent money-strategy in accordance
with the law. We do not want to have illegitimate money in Luxembourg
and all banks have to respect this”. In this context, he appeals to the
US to ensure a worldwide level playing field. “The US must disclose its
own loopholes in Delaware and Florida. The Rubik agreement between
Germany and Switzerland can be a blueprint for Luxembourg”. EK
Source: http://www.lff.lu/nc/finance/news/news-detail/article/towards-a-sustainable-financial-centre/ - April 26, 2012
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