On May 20, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) proposed to the European Commission (Commission) a permanent reduction to the threshold to notify net short positions on shares to EU national competent authorities (NCAs) from 0.2 percent to 0.1 percent.
Continue Reading ESMA Recommends Permanently Lowering the Reporting Threshold for Net Short Positions to 0.1 Percent

On April 6, the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) announced that legal entity identifiers (LEIs) of non-EEA third country issuers will not need to be reported under the UK version of the European Union’s Regulation on reporting and transparency of securities financing transactions (UK SFTR), until at least April 13, 2022.
Continue Reading FCA Update on Reporting LEIs of Non-EEA Third Country Issuers Under UK SFTR

On March 19, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) published a statement announcing a new Directive relating to its supervisory approach to position limits for commodity derivatives under the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID II) (the Statement).
Continue Reading ESMA Publishes Statement Announcing Supervisory Approach to MiFID II Position Limits for Commodity Derivatives

On March 15, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) announced its decision not to renew the requirement for holders of net short positions in shares traded on an EU regulated market to inform the relevant national competent authority (NCA) if the position reaches, exceeds or falls below 0.1 percent of the issued share capital (the Press Release).
Continue Reading ESMA Allows Decision on Reporting Net Short Positions to Expire

On February 22, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) published its final report on guidelines to clarify common procedures and methodologies for the supervisory review and evaluation process of central counterparties (CCPs) by their national competent authorities (NCAs) (the Report).

The proposed guidelines addressed in the Report by ESMA include:
Continue Reading ESMA Publishes Guidelines on Supervisory Review and Evaluation Process of CCPs

On January 27, Allison Herren Lee, the acting chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission, announced the European Commission’s (EC) adoption of an equivalence decision, stating that the SEC’s regulatory framework applicable to central counterparties (CCPs) that are “covered clearing agencies” under SEC rules is equivalent to relevant European legal and regulatory requirements.
Continue Reading European Commission Adopts Equivalence Decision With Respect to SEC Regulatory Framework for Central Counterparties

On January 13, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) published a statement reminding firms of the requirements under the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID II) relating to the provision of investment services to retail or professional clients by firms not established or situated in the EU (the Statement).
Continue Reading ESMA Reminds Firms of MiFID II Rules on Reverse Solicitation Post-Brexit

On January 7, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) announced the signing of an Enhanced Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) regarding cooperation and the exchange of information with respect to certain registered derivatives clearing organizations established in the United States that are central counterparties (CCPs) recognized by ESMA under the European Market Infrastructure Regulation.
Continue Reading CFTC and ESMA Sign Enhanced MOU Related to Certain Recognized Central Counterparties

On December 18, 2020, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) published a consultation paper to assist the European Commission (Commission) in reviewing and producing a report on the impact of requirements relating to algorithmic trading, including high-frequency trading.
Continue Reading ESMA Publishes Consultation Paper on Impact of Algorithmic Trading

On December 16, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) renewed its decision to temporarily require the holders of net short positions in shares traded on an EU regulated market to inform the relevant national competent authority (NCA) if the position reaches, exceeds or falls below 0.1 percent of the issued share capital. The measure applies starting December 19 for a period of three months (the Decision).
Continue Reading ESMA Renews 0.1 Percent Reporting Requirement Decision for Net Short Position Holders