This authoritative guide to the Geneva Securities Convention is the first and only UNIDROIT backed analysis of the content of the international treaty. It streamlines the otherwise complicated and numerous transactions of intermediated securities providing easy access for practitioners and scholars in the field. The Commentary is written by participants to the negotiations and discussions which resulted in the final version of the treaty. The Geneva Securities Convention was developed as a result of the change in the way that securities are held and highlights the position of intermediated securities at the core of the international financial system. The Convention includes key provisions for governing intermediated securities designed to harmonise domestic law and clarify points of difficulty. The general introduction to the commentary sets out the reasons for developing the Convention and the principal concepts underlying its development. The main part of the commentary follows the structure of the Convention and is arranged on an article-by-article basis. The treatment of each article is subdivided into three main parts: An introduction explaining the main goal of that article; a section setting out the genesis of the provision during intergovernmental negotiation; and a part discussing in depth the application of the provision with reference to practical examples. The Convention is a highly complex instrument and the commentary provides much-needed guidance to the application and interpretation of its provisions. This is a must-have reference for lawyers and scholars interested in financial law, as well as securities intermediaries, clearing houses, banks and government officials.

"This authoritative guide to the Geneva Securities Convention is the first and only UNIDROIT backed analysis of the content of the international treaty. It streamlines the otherwise complicated and numerous transactions of intermediated securities providing easy access for practitioners and scholars in the field. The Commentary is written by participants to the negotiations and discussions which resulted in the final version of the treaty. The Geneva Securities Convention was developed as a result of the change in the way that securities are held and highlights the position of intermediated securities at the core of the international financial system. The Convention includes key provisions for governing intermediated securities designed to harmonise domestic law and clarify points of difficulty. The general introduction to the commentary sets out the reasons for developing the Convention and the principal concepts underlying its development. The main part of the commentary follows the structure of the Convention and is arranged on an article-by-article basis. The treatment of each article is subdivided into three main parts: An introduction explaining the main goal of that article; a section setting out the genesis of the provision during intergovernmental negotiation; and a part discussing in depth the application of the provision with reference to practical examples. The Convention is a highly complex instrument and the commentary provides much-needed guidance to the application and interpretation of its provisions. This is a must-have reference for lawyers and scholars interested in financial law, as well as securities intermediaries, clearing houses, banks and government officials."--Publisher's website.

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Globally, there has been a shift from securities being held directly by an investor, to a situation in which many securities are held via an intermediary. The existence of one or more intermediaries between the investor and the issuer has a potentially significant impact on the rights of the investor, the role and obligations of the issuer, and on the position and responsibilities of the intermediary. However, different jurisdictions have dealt with the issues arising from intermediation in a variety of ways. In the UK, for example, the concept of a trust is used to explain the different rights and obligations which arise in this scenario, whereas in the US the issues have been addressed by legislation, in the form of UCC Article 8. This variety is problematic, given that it is possible for an investor to hold securities in a number of different jurisdictions. A new UNIDROIT Convention on the issue of Intermediated Securities, the Geneva Securities Convention 2009, aims to create a common framework for dealing with these issues. This collection of essays explores the issues that arise when securities are held via an intermediary, and in particular assesses the solutions put forward by the new Convention on this issue. It will be essential reading for practitioners and academics.

An overview of the latest developments in intermediated securities, via analysis of the Geneva Securities Convention and future EU legislation.

In today's financial markets, investors no longer hold securities physically. Instead, securities such as shares or bonds are mostly held through intermediaries and transferred by way of book-entries on securities accounts. However, there are remarkable conceptual differences between the various jurisdictions with regard to the legal treatment of intermediated securities. It is widely agreed that this patchwork creates considerable legal risks, especially in cross-border situations. Two initiatives are in place to reduce these risks. In 2009, the UNIDROIT Convention on Substantive Rules for Intermediated Securities (the 'Geneva Securities Convention') was adopted, aimed at harmonisation on the international level. The EU Commission is also running a legislative project, to achieve harmonisation at the regional level. This book compares both initiatives and analyses their impact on the securities laws of selected European jurisdictions.

This work aims to analyse substantive and conflict of laws rules regarding intermediated securities in a comparative way. For this purpose, it examines major jurisdictions’ rules for intermediated securities and the intermediated securities holding systems, such as the rules of the German, US, Korean, Japanese and Swiss systems, as well as the relevant EU regimes and initiatives. Above all, it analyses the two international instruments related to intermediated securities, i.e. the Geneva Securities Convention and the Hague Securities Convention. Through a functional comparative approach based upon legal traditions of the various jurisdictions, this book gives readers theoretical and practical information on intermediated securities and their national and international aspects.