1) May 2016
New Collective Investment Vehicles
Practice Group(s):
By Liz Hastilow, Ed Vassie and Meera Sivanathan
Investment
Management
This week's Federal Budget ushered in a new era in investment management in Australia
with the announcement that the Federal Government will introduce a new tax and
regulatory framework for two new types of collective investment vehicles (CIVs).
The Vehicles
The two new CIVs will consist of a corporate CIV and a limited partnership CIV. The
corporate CIV will be introduced in time for the income years starting on or after 1 July
2017, while the limited partnership CIV will be introduced in time for the income years
starting on or after 1 July 2018.
Both the corporate and limited partnership CIVs will be required to meet similar eligibility
criteria as managed investment trusts, for example they will need to be widely held and
be engaged in primarily passive investment.
What This Means for Australian Fund Managers and the Industry
The new corporate and limited partnership CIVs will be crucial for Australian fund
managers and operators in the context of the Asian Region Funds Passport (Passport),
the implementation of which began last week with the signing of the Passport
Memorandum of Cooperation.
For more information on the signing of the Memorandum of Cooperation click here to
read our recent Legal Insight.
Traditionally, foreign investors have been dissuaded from investing in Australian funds
due to their lack of familiarity with the unit trust structure. Foreign investors are however
very familiar with both corporate and limited partnership CIVs.
As a result, the new corporate and limited partnership CIVs will:
•
enhance the ability of Australian fund managers to utilise the Passport
•
reduce barriers associated with Australia's unit trust structure by providing
alternative investment vehicle options for foreign investors
•
attract new foreign investors to Australia
•
improve the overall marketability of Australia's managed funds internationally
•
assist Australia's investment management industry in becoming both a significant
exporter of financial services products and a key contributor to Australia's gross
domestic product.
2) Authors:
Elizabeth A. Hastilow
elizabeth.hastilow@klgates.com
+61 2 9513 2403
Edward J. Vassie
edward.vassie@klgates.com
+61 2 9513 2328
Meera Sivanathan
meera.sivanathan@klgates.com
+61 2 9513 2303
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