The FCA has today published its final instruments and guidance that will apply in the event the UK leaves the EU without a deal or an implementation period.

The regulator said it had been working to deliver a transition that is as smooth as possible.

The package of documents contains the majority of the final instruments and guidance, following the publication of the FCA’s Policy Statement with near-final instruments in February.

Most of the instruments have been made under powers given to the FCA under the EU (Withdrawal) Act.

They have been approved by the Treasury and the FCA can now make them final.

They are said to be largely unchanged from the near-final versions published last month.

The most significant change is that the instruments now commence on ‘exit day’, rather than 11pm on 29 March.

This change reflects the decision made at the European Council on 21 March, as well as the changes made by the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (Exit Day) (Amendment) Regulations 2019.

The FCA has also published the majority of its final transitional directions and guidance for using the transitional power.

The regulator also identified three additional areas where it has made amendments to the near-final directions published in February.

These changes relate to:

• UK managers of EEA UCITS funds

• the application of the Client Assets sourcebook (CASS) to activities carried on from an EEA branch, and

• the distance marketing provisions.

Nausicaa Delfas, executive director of international at the FCA, said: “The documents published today are the final stages in our preparations in the event that the UK leaves the EU without an implementation period: they ensure that firms have certainty of the financial regime they will be operating within, and so can plan accordingly to meet the needs of their customers.”

The FCA has also confirmed it has extended the notification window for firms who wish to enter the TPR until the end of 11 April.