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Audit of stand-alone annual accounts
At Grant Thornton Luxembourg, our team of experts is specialised in audits of stand-alone annual accounts.
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Audit of consolidated annual accounts
Grant Thornton Luxembourg team of experts is specialised in providing audit services to a lot of multinational which have their administrative center located in Luxembourg for whom the consolidated annual accounts have to be audited.
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Agreed-Upon Procedures Engagements
In the case of agreed-upon procedures engagement, Grant Thornton Luxembourg performs procedures particularly requested by the client/bank and reports on the findings.
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GDPR-CARPA Certification
Grant Thornton Audit and Assurance is accredited by the Commission Nationale pour la Protection des Données (CNPD) to provide GDPR-CARPA certifications for organisations.
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Forensic Audit
Grant Thornton Luxembourg has the forensic and business skills to deal with the most complex situations. A multi-disciplinary team of dedicated accountants in consultation with lawyers, IT consultants, insurance experts, valuation specialists and actuaries may be engaged when necessary.
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Supervisory Auditor (Commissaire)
Grant Thornton Luxembourg has a dedicated team of experts committed to deliver services to reserved to Supervisory Auditor or "Commissaire aux Comptes".
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Liquidation Audit
Grant Thornton Luxembourg has a dedicated team of experts committed to deliver services to reserved to liquidation audit "Commissariat à la liquidation".
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Assurance Engagements
Grant Thornton Luxembourg have a dedicated team of experts committed to work on audit and assurance special engagements.
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IFRS Services
At Grant Thornton Luxembourg, our experts can help you navigate the complexity of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).
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Valuation
Grant Thornton Luxembourg helps clients evaluate and implement various strategic alternatives through our comprehensive suite of corporate value consulting services. From opinions, board solutions and services, to valuation and modeling, we can assist you with value added services throughout the transaction lifecycle.
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Governance, Risk & Compliance
Grant Thornton Luxembourg offers comprehensive services in Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) tailored to meet the evolving needs of businesses in today's dynamic regulatory environment. Our commitment is to provide personalised guidance and global expertise, ensuring that your company establish robust internal controls and navigates governance challenges effectively.
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Structuring & Modeling
Grant Thornton Luxembourg offers workable solutions to maximise your value and deliver sustainable growth. Transactions or reorganisations are significant events in the life of a business, so the stakes are high for both buyers and sellers.
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External DPO and Data Protection Compliance
EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) - The real challenge consists of remaining compliant with GDPR and in being able to prove this compliance (accountability principle). Grant Thornton Luxembourg can help you with a tailored phase approach.
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Sustainability & ESG Services
At Grant Thornton, we recognise the need of our clients to operate responsibly and to meet the high standards posed by the sector they operate. We offer pragmatic, tailor-made solutions to our clients and we assist them to make the required transitions towards the implementation of sustainable business practices.
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Whistleblowing services
Since May 2023, the Whistleblower Law has become effective in Luxembourg. What does this mean for your business? Our experts can advise and help you to set-up internal reporting channels and to comply with the new law.
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Alternative Investment Services
Grant Thornton Luxembourg is a bespoke business partner to established Alternative Investment Fund (“AIF”) Managers (“AIFM”) as well as independent Managers launching start-up Funds and seeking for a single entry point in Luxembourg in order to set-up and manage their Luxembourg domiciled Funds.
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Fund Administration
Fund Administration - Grant Thornton Luxembourg offers a full range of tailored solutions to our clients.
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Registrar & Transfer Agency Services, Client Reporting
Grant Thornton Luxembourg provides investors with confirmations, final Contract Notes and regular statements upon finalisation of the Fund’s Net Asset Value, We handle all wire payments and transfers, including the processing of distribution dividend payments, and perform in-depth Anti-Money Laundering Counter Terrorism Financing and Know-Your Client due diligence checks on investors.
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Fund set-up, Launch & Corporate life
High-quality product structuring and legal services have become a crucial tool enabling industry players to get through the major changes impacting their business development, strategy and organisation as a whole. Our Investment Management practice at Grant Thornton Luxembourg is your one-stop place for expert advice combining pragmatism and a unique in-depth knowledge of the Luxembourg market.
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AML Compliance Services
Grant Thornton Luxembourg helps its Clients to keep compliant with AML-CTF laws and regulations and provide an expert skilled team.
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Regulatory Reporting Delivery
Grant Thornton Luxembourg has set up a Business Process Outsourcing Solution that manages and mutualises regulatory expertise, reporting solutions and skilled human resources
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Legal Support & Corporate Services
Grant Thornton Luxembourg delivers Legal Support & Corporate services.
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Accounting & Reporting Services
Grant Thornton Luxembourg may explore the specific characteristics of your company in order to provide a personalised assistance in the fields of Accounting & Reporting services.
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Corporate Tax Compliance
Grant Thornton Luxembourg may explore the specific characteristics of your company in order to provide a personalised assistance in the fields of corporate tax compliance.
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Direct Corporate Tax Advice
Grant Thornton Luxembourg understand the complexity of national and international tax laws. We can unlock your potential for local and international growth.
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VAT and Other Indirect Tax Compliance
Handling the day-to-day VAT compliance obligations requires being close to your business. Our VAT compliance business line assists you to ensure that long term reporting processes are implemented and respected with the aim of safeguarding a proper and timely VAT filing. This is important for achieving a VAT compliant environment and mitigating local VAT risks.
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VAT and Other Indirect Tax Advice
Our VAT advisory business line is dedicated to keeping you up to date with amended VAT legislation and changes in the administrative practice in Luxembourg and worldwide with our Grant Thornton global VAT network. Specialists review and comment on new EU directives and the latest case law by the Court of Justice of the European Union in order to provide you with advice tailored to your specific needs.
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Transaction & Reorganisation
Reorganisations - Transaction Planning - Tax Structuring - M&A. Companies strive to improve their market position with take-overs, mergers and demergers. Strategy and financial tactics are important elements in this respect. Grant Thornton tax specialists may intervene in all stages of the transaction.
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Transfer Pricing
The laws surrounding transfer pricing are becoming ever more complex, as tax affairs of multinational companies are facing scrutiny from media, regulators and the public. Grant Thornton Luxembourg can help you manage your transfer pricing risks and find opportunities.
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Tax - Financial Services & Operational Tax
Our Tax - Financial Services team provides tax advisory services relevant for the Financial Services Industries and Operational Tax assistance. This includes tax advice, automatic exchange of information (FATCA, CRS, DAC 6, DAC 7 and DAC 8), advisory and compliance assistance regarding the US Qualified Intermediary (QI) regime, assistance regarding withholding tax reclaims, investor tax reporting and tax structuring in the context of Islamic finance.
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Personal Tax
Our experienced multilingual Personal Tax Team is keen to give you tailored solutions, optimise your situation and help you make decisions. We could assist you with: income tax returns, vat returns, tax assessments, contacts with the tax authorities and assistance by tax audit or tax litigation, tax matters advices, inheritance tax matters, international assignments and trainings.
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Cross-Border Tax
Tax policies are constantly evolving and there are a number of complex changes on the horizon that could significantly affect your business. We can help you with practical advice such as VAT and direct tax.
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Corporate Finance
Exploring the strategic options available to you as a business or shareholder, advising and project managing the chosen solution, Grant Thornton Luxembourg provide a truly integrated corporate finance offering. Merger & acquisition, buying a business, selling a business, transaction piloting,raising finance to support your business plans.Vendor due diligence, acquisition due diligence, reporting accountant work,operational due diligence, management assessment.
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Expatriate Tax
Although international employment has become a standard practice in business life, employers and their assignees are still faced with numerous questions in this area. Grant Thornton Luxembourg can help you to be one step ahead.
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Set-up, Restructuring & Business Planning
Grant Thornton Luxembourg is delighted to add value during the implementation of your businesses and to be given the opportunity to grow together with you. Relying on our professionals’ financial expertise will allow you to take dynamic but sustainable decisions.
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Corporate Secretarial Services
Grant Thornton Luxembourg provides corporate secretarial services to enable our clients to comply with their legal and administrative obligations in Luxembourg.
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Liquidation & Insolvency
Grant Thornton Luxembourg can draw on years of experience in the areas of liquidation and insolvency and then make sensible recommendations on how best to deal with your financial crisis.
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Human Resources Management & Payroll
Grant Thornton Luxembourg has been delivering since 1987 Payroll and Human Resources services to private and institutional clients. A team of highly qualified collaborators manages around 7 000 payslips per month and offers related consulting services.
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Information Security
Is your organisation resilient to information security threats? Whether you're a large enterprise or a small business, Grant Thornton is committed to providing comprehensive security services tailored to your needs.
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IT Audit
Grant Thornton internal audit team provides IT audit services as part of your internal audit or as part of any specific IT audit that is required (ad’hoc , assurance reports, external audits).
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MySmartOffice
Grant Thornton Luxembourg offers a new complete online accounting and consulting solution for SMEs named MySmartOffice to access financial and operational information instantly online.
Implementing the Sustainable Finance Framework
The CSSF’s central goal is to ensure a harmonized implementation of the sustainable finance framework across the financial sector, while also embedding Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria into its supervisory procedures. Acknowledging the dynamic regulatory landscape, the CSSF will progressively integrate relevant adjustments into its oversight process. However, the responsibility for adhering to applicable requirements lies with the supervised entities and their board members. They are expected to prioritize the integration of ESG factors into their governance, risk management, and compliance tools.
In this context, the CSSF has outlined specific supervisory priorities for credit institutions, asset management firms, investment firms, and issuers. Additionally, it emphasizes the adoption of a risk-based approach in its supervision efforts.
Priorities for financial market players
For credit institutions, the focus continues to lie in three main areas: transparency and disclosures, risk management and governance, and MiFID rules related to sustainability. The CSSF has communicated that after the application of the SFDR regulatory technical standards (SFDR RTS), it will carry out additional off-site reviews of SFDR website disclosures at both the entity and product level, using a sample-based approach.
In July 2024, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) will initiate a Common Supervisory Action (CSA) specifically targeting the integration of sustainability within firms’ suitability assessment and product governance processes. In this context, the CSSF will conduct off-site and on-site inspections of a selected group of credit institutions and investment firms, with a particular focus on climate-related and environmental risks, as outlined in Circular CSSF 21/773. Additionally, the MiFID on-site inspection team will update its internal control plan to encompass the SFDR product disclosure requirements applicable to supervised entities offering discretionary portfolio management services.
Furthermore, the CSSF anticipates conducting a sample-based review of remuneration policies and practices to assess how these policies have been adjusted to ensure alignment with the integration of sustainability risks. Lastly, the CSSF will evaluate the industry’s practical implementation of the sustainability-related MiFID rules.
In the asset management industry, the CSSF's supervisory priorities encompass, as before, organisational arrangements of Investment Fund Managers (IFMs), verification of compliance with pre-contractual and periodic disclosures, verification of the consistency of information in fund documentation and marketing material, verification of the compliance of product website disclosures, and the portfolio analysis. The CSSF will continue its vigilance over Investment Firms (IFMs), ensuring their adherence to the SFDR, the SFDR RTS, and the Taxonomy Regulation while incorporating sustainability risks into their operations.
In August 2023, the CSSF released a Thematic Review focusing on the implementation of sustainability-related provisions within the investment industry. It emphasized that IFMs, during their ongoing assessment of compliance efforts, should duly consider the outcomes of this review.
Furthermore, the CSSF highlighted the CSA initiated by ESMA in collaboration with National Competent Authorities across the EU. This CSA follows a two-stage process: the first stage, launched in August 2023, closely examines greenwashing risks. The second phase, set to begin in Q1 2024, focuses on integrating sustainability risks and factors into the organizational arrangements of UCITS Managers and AIFMs, as well as enhancing transparency disclosures at the IFM and product level.
Investment firms continue to be subject to the supervisory priorities of transparency and disclosures, risk management and governance, and MiFID rules related to sustainability. Notably, the CSSF has stressed that it will ensure that investment firms adhere to disclosure obligations under the SFDR.
To achieve this, the CSSF has revised the framework for the long-form report applicable to investment firms, aligning it with the supervisory and prudential priorities of the CSSF. This updated framework will be implemented in two stages:
· For the financial year ending 31 December 2023, all Class 2 Investment Firms (IFs) incorporated under Luxembourg law, including their branches and certain Class 3 IFs, will be required to submit the revised long-form report.
· For financial years ending after 31 December 2023, all investment firms must submit the revised long-form report following Circular CSSF 24/853.
Furthermore, the ESMA guidelines on MiFID II Suitability requirements and MiFID II product governance requirements, which have been in effect since 3 October 2023, have been fully integrated into the CSSF’s administrative practices and regulatory approach under the provisions of Circulars CSSF 23/835 and CSSF 23/840. These provisions equally apply to credit institutions.
For issuers, the CSSF has emphasized the entry into force of Directive (EU) 2022/2464 as of 1 January 2024 for the annual reports published in 2025 by issuers currently reporting under the Non-Financial Reporting Directive (NFRD). This transition will necessitate significant preparation from issuers to implement the new requirements.
As the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) is phased in over the next few years, the scope of issuers falling within its purview will ultimately be much broader than that of issuers currently covered by the NFRD. To assist issuers in meeting these new obligations, the CSSF has published a gap analysis on 2 February 2024. This analysis provides a preliminary understanding of the remaining gaps that need to be addressed by issuers during the transition from the NFRD to the CSRD in terms of sustainability disclosures.
Luxembourg as the hub of Sustainable Finance
Recognising the international and cross-cutting nature of sustainable finance, the CSSF aims to ensure Luxembourg's representation in national, European, and international groups driving sustainable finance initiatives. It supports the European Supervisory Authorities (ESAs) and international bodies such as the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS), the European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG), the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB), and the Network for Greening the Financial System (NGFS) in promoting a coherent, cohesive, and consistent, sustainable finance framework.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the CSSF's supervisory priorities in sustainable finance largely build upon the themes that were outlined in last year’s communiqué. By proactively tackling the implications of climate change and advocating for the incorporation of ESG factors into financial institutions’ operations, the CSSF is actively fostering a robust and sustainable economy. This commitment not only contributes to the global fight against climate change but also promotes social responsibility.
Contact
If you wish to understand how you could best implement ESG matters into your governance, risk management and enhance your transparency on entity and product disclosures, please contact our Head of Sustainability & ESG Services Fani Xylouri.