Legal Information
Bernard Group AG operates as a structuring counterparty and independent adviser in international trade and project finance. The following statement sets out the compliance standards, regulatory context and conduct principles applied in our work. It is published for transparency and does not constitute a regulatory authorisation, licence, registration or certification.
Bernard Group AG is not a bank, deposit-taking institution, investment fund or securities broker-dealer, and undertakes no activity requiring authorisation under the Swiss Federal Act on Banks and Savings Banks (BankG, SR 952.0). The Company does not accept deposits from the public and is not a source of funds.
In the conduct of its structuring, verification and advisory mandates, Bernard Group AG applies institutional banking and compliance standards, including counterparty identification (KYC), anti-money-laundering (AML) procedures, the FATF Recommendations, and applicable sanctions regimes administered by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) and the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
Our work is carried out within the following Swiss and international frameworks, as applicable to each mandate:
Federal Act on Combating Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing (AMLA / GwG, SR 955.0)
Revised Federal Act on Data Protection (revFADP / revDSG, SR 235.1)
Swiss Code of Obligations (CO / OR, SR 220)
FATF Recommendations on anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing
ICC uniform rules governing trade-finance instruments — UCP 600, ISP98, URDG 758
Where a transaction has a United States nexus, reference is additionally made to the Bank Secrecy Act (31 U.S.C. § 5311 et seq.), the USA PATRIOT Act, and the sanctions programmes administered by OFAC and SECO.
Prior to accepting any mandate, Bernard Group AG conducts proportionate due diligence on counterparties, beneficial owners and controlling persons, and verifies the economic background, source of funds and legal standing of the proposed transaction. The Company reserves the right to decline or terminate an engagement where information is incomplete, inconsistent or gives rise to material compliance concerns.
Bernard Group AG does not issue, confirm, endorse or guarantee any financial instrument, including any Standby Letter of Credit (SBLC) or Bank Guarantee (BG). Such instruments are issued by regulated partner institutions. Our role is confined to structuring, coordination and advisory support within the framework described above.
Compliance references on this Website describe the standards applied in our business and shall not be construed as evidence of regulatory approval or licence. Nothing published herein constitutes legal, financial or investment advice. Each counterparty remains solely responsible for its own regulatory obligations and for obtaining independent professional counsel.