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Markets in Financial
Instruments Directive (MiFID)
DIRECTIVE 2004/39/EC
Article 21
Obligation to execute orders on terms most favourable to the
client
1. Member States shall require that investment firms take all
reasonable 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, whenever there is a specific instruction from the
client the investment firm shall execute the order following the
specific instruction.
2. 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.
3. The order execution policy shall include, in respect of each
class of 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. Member States shall require that investment firms obtain
the prior consent of their clients to the execution policy.
Member States shall require that, where the order execution policy
provides for the possibility that client orders may be executed
outside a regulated market or an MTF, the investment firm shall,
in particular, inform its clients about this possibility.
Member States shall require that investment firms obtain the prior
express consent of their clients before proceeding to execute
their orders outside a regulated market or an MTF. Investment
firms may obtain this consent either in the form of
a general agreement or in respect of individual transactions.
4. Member States shall require investment firms to monitor the
effectiveness of their order execution arrangements and execution
policy in order to identify and, where appropriate, correct any
deficiencies. In particular, they shall 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 of
any material changes to their order execution arrangements or
execution policy.
5. 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 firm's execution
policy.
6. In order to ensure the protection necessary for investors, the
fair and orderly functioning of markets, and to ensure the uniform
application of paragraphs 1, 3 and 4, the Commission shall, in
accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 64(2), adopt
implementing measures 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 3.
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