The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) will use its new powers to name and shame companies and individuals under investigation before it has decided to take enforcement action.
Previously, it could only publish information about enforcement proceedings at a later stage in the enforcement process, after it had decided to act.
The FCA said it would make information public through a warning notice statement that will usually name the firm under investigation and, in certain circumstances, the actual individual.
It said that publishing these details will help protect consumers and enhance the integrity of the UK’s financial system.
It will make clear to consumers, firms and investors the sort of behaviour considered unacceptable by the FCA, making the enforcement process more transparent.
Director of enforcement Tracey McDermott said: “We listened carefully to views from inside and outside the industry. I believe we have got the balance right so we now have in place a regime that enables us to provide information to consumers, investors and firms earlier about the action we are taking to tackle misconduct to ensure markets work well and consumers get a fair deal.
“It is clear that the more transparent and open that we can make the regulatory process, the more confidence we can give people that we are acting in their best interest.”
The FCA will consider the circumstances of each case in deciding whether it is appropriate to publish details of the warning notice and, if so, what details to publish.
Before making its final decision, it will consult the person under investigation and take into account any evidence that publication would be unfair.
A published warning notice statement will ordinarily include a brief summary of the facts which gave rise to the warning notice to allow consumers, firms and market users to understand the FCA's concerns.
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