EX-99.CODE ETH
VANECK VIP TRUST
VANECK FUNDS
VANECK VECTORS ETF TRUST
CODE OF ETHICS FOR PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE AND
SENIOR FINANCIAL OFFICERS
I. COVERED OFFICERS/PURPOSE OF THE CODE
VanEck's Code of Ethics (this "Code") for the investment companies within
the complex (collectively, "Funds" and each, "Company") applies to the Company's
Principal Executive Officer, Principal Financial Officer and Principal
Accounting Officer (the "Covered Officers" each of whom are set forth in Exhibit
A) for the purpose of promoting:
o honest and ethical conduct, including the ethical handling of actual or
apparent conflicts of interest between personal and professional
relationships;
o full, fair, accurate, timely and understandable disclosure in reports and
documents that a registrant files with, or submits to, the Securities and
Exchange Commission ("SEC") and in other public communications made by the
Company;
o compliance with applicable laws and governmental rules and regulations;
o the prompt internal reporting of violations of the Code to an appropriate
person or persons identified in the Code; and
o accountability for adherence to the Code.
Each Covered Officer should adhere to a high standard of business ethics
and should be sensitive to situations that may give rise to actual as well as
apparent conflicts of interest.
II. COVERED OFFICERS SHOULD HANDLE ETHICALLY ACTUAL AND APPARENT CONFLICTS OF
INTEREST
OVERVIEW. A "conflict of interest" occurs when a Covered Officer's
private interest interferes with the interests of, or his service to, the
Company. For example, a conflict of interest would arise if a Covered Officer,
or a member of his family, receives improper personal benefits as a result of
his position with the Company.
Certain conflicts of interest arise out of the relationships between
Covered Officers and the Company and already are subject to conflict of interest
provisions in the Investment Company Act of 1940 ("Investment Company Act") and
the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 ("Investment Advisers Act"). For example,
Covered Officers may not individually engage in certain transactions (such as
the purchase or sale of securities or other property) with the Company because
of their status as "affiliated persons" of the Company. The Company's and the
investment adviser's compliance programs and procedures are designed to prevent,
or identify and correct, violations of these provisions. This Code does not, and
is not intended to, repeat or replace these programs and procedures, and such
conflicts fall outside of the parameters of this Code.
Although typically not presenting an opportunity for improper personal
benefit, conflicts arise from, or as a result of, the contractual relationship
between the Company and the investment adviser of which the Covered Officers are
also officers or employees. As a result, this Code recognizes that the Covered
Officers will, in the normal course of their duties (whether formally for the
Company or for the adviser, or for both), be involved in establishing policies
and implementing decisions that will have different effects on the adviser and
the Company. The participation of the Covered Officers in such activities is
inherent in the contractual relationship between the Company and the adviser and
is consistent with the performance by the Covered Officers of their duties as
officers of the Company. Thus, if performed in conformity with the provisions of
the Investment Company Act and the Investment Advisers Act, such activities will
be deemed to have been handled ethically. In addition, it is recognized by the
Funds' Boards of Directors ("Boards") that the Covered Officers may also be
officers or employees of one or more other investment companies covered by this
or other codes.
Other conflicts of interest are covered by the Code, even if such
conflicts of interest are not subject to provisions in the Investment Company
Act and the Investment Advisers Act. The following list provides examples of
conflicts of interest under the Code, but Covered Officers should keep in mind
that these examples are not exhaustive. The overarching principle is that the
personal interest of a Covered Officer should not be placed improperly before
the interest of the Company.
Each Covered Officer must:
o not use his personal influence or personal relationships improperly to
influence investment decisions or financial reporting by the Company
whereby the Covered Officer would benefit personally to the detriment of
the Company;
o not cause the Company to take action, or fail to take action, for the
individual personal benefit of the Covered Officer rather than the
benefit the Company;
o not use material non-public knowledge of portfolio transactions made or
contemplated for the Company to trade personally or cause others to trade
personally in contemplation of the market effect of such transactions;
There are some conflict of interest situations that should always be
discussed with the Compliance Officer if material. Examples of these include:
o service as a director on the board of any public or private company;
o the receipt of any non-nominal gifts;
o the receipt of any entertainment from any company with which the Company
has current or prospective business dealings unless such entertainment is
business related, reasonable in cost, appropriate as to time and place, and
not so frequent as to raise any question of impropriety.
o any ownership interest in, or any consulting or employment relationship
with, any of the Company's service providers, other than its investment
adviser, principal underwriter, administrator or any affiliated person
thereof,
o a direct or indirect financial interest in commissions, transaction charges
or spreads paid by the Company for effecting portfolio transactions or for
selling or redeeming shares other than an interest arising from the Covered
Officer's employment, such as compensation or equity ownership.
III. DISCLOSURE AND COMPLIANCE
o Each Covered Officer should familiarize himself with the disclosure
requirements generally applicable to the Company;
o Each Covered Officer should not knowingly misrepresent, or cause others to
misrepresent, facts about the Company to others, whether within or outside
the Company, including to the Company's directors and auditors, and to
governmental regulators and self-regulatory organizations;
o Each Covered Officer should, to the extent appropriate within his area of
responsibility, consult with other officers and employees of the Funds and
the adviser with the goal of promoting full, fair, accurate, timely and
understandable disclosure in the reports and documents the Funds file with,
or submit to, the SEC and in other public communications made by the Funds;
and
o It is the responsibility of each Covered Officer to promote compliance with
the standards and restrictions imposed by applicable laws, rules and
regulations.
IV. REPORTING AND ACCOUNTABILITY
Each Covered Officer must:
o report at least annually all affiliations or other relationships related to
conflicts of interest that the Company's Directors and Officers
Questionnaire covers;
o upon adoption of the Code (or thereafter as applicable, upon becoming a
Covered Officer), affirm in writing to the Board that he has received,
read, and understands the Code;
o annually thereafter affirm to the Board that he has complied with the
requirements of the Code;
o not retaliate against any other Covered Officer or any employee of the
Funds or their affiliated persons for reports of potential violations that
are made in good faith, and
o notify the Compliance Officer promptly if he knows of any violation of this
Code. Failure to do so is itself a violation of this Code.
The Compliance Officer or other designated senior legal officer of the
Funds' investment adviser is responsible for applying this Code to specific
situations in which questions are presented under it and has the authority to
interpret this Code in any particular situation. However, any approvals or
waivers sought by the Principal Executive Officer will be considered by the
Governance Committee.
The Company will follow these procedures in investigating and enforcing
this Code:
o the Compliance Officer or other designated senior legal officer will take
all appropriate action to investigate any potential violations reported to
him;
o if, after such investigation, the Compliance Officer believes that no
violation has occurred, the Compliance Officer is not required to take any
further action;
o any matter that the Compliance Officer believes is a violation will be
reported to the Committee;
o if the Committee concurs that a violation has occurred, it will inform the
Board, which will consider appropriate action, which may include review of,
and appropriate modifications to, applicable policies and procedures;
notification to appropriate personnel of the investment adviser or its
board; or a recommendation to dismiss the Covered Officer;
o the Committee will be responsible for granting waivers, as appropriate; and
any changes to or waivers of this Code will, to the extent required, be
disclosed as provided by SEC rules.
V. OTHER POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
This Code shall be the sole code of ethics adopted by the Funds for purposes of
Section 406 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the rules and forms applicable to
registered investment companies thereunder. Insofar as other policies or
procedures of the Funds, the Funds' adviser, principal underwriter, or other
service providers govern or purport to govern the behavior or activities of the
Covered Officers who are subject to this Code, they are superseded by this Code
to the extent that they overlap or conflict with the provisions of this Code.
The Funds' and their investment adviser's and principal underwriter's codes of
ethics under Rule 17j-1 under the Investment Company Act and the adviser's more
detailed policies and procedures set forth in the Van Eck Employee Manual are
separate requirements applying to the Covered Officers and others, and are not
part of this Code.
VI. AMENDMENTS
Any amendments to this Code, other than amendments to Exhibit A, must be
approved or ratified by a majority vote of the Board.
VII. CONFIDENTIALITY
All reports and records prepared or maintained pursuant to this Code will
be considered confidential and shall be maintained and protected accordingly.
Except as otherwise required by law or this Code, such matters shall not be
disclosed to anyone other than the appropriate Board and its counsel.
VIII. INTERNAL USE
The Code is intended solely for the internal use by the Funds and does not
constitute an admission, by or on behalf of any Company, as to any fact,
circumstance, or legal conclusion.
EXHIBIT A
COVERED OFFICERS
Jan F. van Eck, Chief Executive Officer, VanEck Funds, VanEck VIP Trust and
VanEck Vectors ETF Trust
John J. Crimmins, Treasurer & Chief Financial Officer