On September 24, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) published a consultation paper examining transaction reporting and reference data obligations under the Market in Financial Instruments Regulation (MiFIR) (the Consultation Paper).
Continue Reading ESMA Publishes Consultation Paper on MiFIR Reference Data and Transaction Reporting

On June 23, the House of Commons published a statement made by the UK Government on its approach to implementing financial services regulatory reforms before the end of the Brexit transition period (the Statement).
Continue Reading Brexit: UK Government Statement on Implementing Regulatory Reforms

On June 2, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) published a final report setting out technical advice to the European Commission (EC) on the fair, reasonable, non-discriminatory and transparent (FRANDT) commercial terms for the provision of clearing services (the Report).
Continue Reading ESMA Publishes Report on FRANDT Commercial Terms for Clearing Services

On April 27, five industry trade associations, including the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, the Association for Financial Markets in Europe, the Asia Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association, the Global Financial Markets Association and the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association published a joint letter (the Letter) to the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) regarding the effective date for the commencement of the mandatory delegated reporting obligation for financial counterparties (FCs) under the EMIR Refit Regulation (EMIR Refit) in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Continue Reading ISDA Letter to ESMA on Mandatory Delegated Reporting under EMIR Refit

On February 7, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) published a final report (the Final Report) regarding proposed amendments to the Markets in Financial Instruments Regulation (MiFIR). This is in response to the changes introduced by the amended European Market Infrastructure Regulation (EMIR Refit), which became effective on January 1.
Continue Reading ESMA Proposes MiFIR Amendments Following EMIR Refit

On October 3, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) published a Consultation Paper (the Paper) on Draft Technical Advice on the provision of clearing services on a fair, reasonable, non-discriminatory and transparent (FRANDT) basis pursuant to the European Market Infrastructure Regulation (EMIR).
Continue Reading ESMA Consults on Technical Advice on FRANDT Terms for Providing Clearing Services

On September 5, the German Federal Government published a proposal relating to a draft law implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/834 (EMIR REFIT), which also clarifies the licensing requirements for non-EU firms (which would include UK firms after Brexit) that conduct cross-border proprietary trading with German counterparties or on German trading venues.Continue Reading German Government Publishes Proposed Law for Proprietary Trading Firms

On July 29, the European Commission (EC) published a communication on equivalence in the area of financial services (Communication). The EC states that, in light of recent policy developments, it is timely to take stock of the EU’s approach to equivalence.

The Communication discusses the purpose and importance of equivalence. The EC states that each new decision is looked at individually and in detail to ensure that the policies of third countries are compatible with those of the EU, and that any equivalence determination is beneficial to, and sustainable for, both parties.EU financial services law includes approximately 40 provisions that allow the EC to adopt equivalence decisions and as of July 29, the EC has adopted more than 280 equivalence decisions for more than 30 countries.
Continue Reading European Commission Publishes Communication on Its Equivalence Policy With Non-EU Countries