Welcome to the UK Regulation Round Up, a regular bulletin highlighting the latest developments in UK and EU financial services regulation....more
The Financial Conduct Authority has published a Dear CEO Letter setting out its key concerns and priorities over the next two years for benchmark administrators. The FCA's supervisory priorities include: - corporate...more
The Critical Benchmarks Regulations 2024 have been published, together with an explanatory memorandum. The Regulations come into force on November 13, 2024. The instrument specifies two benchmarks, the WMR Closing Spot Rates...more
UK EMIR: BoE consults on modifications to DTO to reflect interest rate benchmark reform - The Bank of England (BoE) has published a consultation paper setting out its proposal to modify the scope of contracts that are...more
ESMA reminds firms on rules of reverse solicitation - In a statement published on 13 January 2021, ESMA reminded firms not established or situated in the EU of the MiFID II requirements on the provision of investment...more
Brexit: Draft Recognised Auction Platforms (Amendment and Miscellaneous Provisions) Regulations 2021 - A draft version of the Recognised Auction Platforms (Amendment and Miscellaneous Provisions) Regulations 2021 has been...more
Securities Financing Transactions, Securitisation and Miscellaneous Amendments (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 - The Securities Financing Transactions, Securitisation and Miscellaneous Amendments (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 (SI...more
EMIR: ESMA report on post-trade risk reduction services - The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has published a report on post-trade risk reduction (PTRR) services under the European Market Infrastructure...more
On 22 July 2020, HM Treasury published a policy statement setting out the UK government’s rationale and proposed approach for extending the transitional period for third country benchmarks under the UK Benchmarks Regulation...more
Accessing and using wholesale data: FCA extends call for input deadline The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has extended the deadline for responses to its call for input on the use and value of data and advanced...more
The United Kingdom and European Union look to give powers to regulators, rather than using direct legislation, to deal with existing contracts that prove unable to convert or be amended to include fallbacks ahead of IBOR...more
The UK government clarifies its legislative plans for financial services regulatory reforms post-Brexit. On 23 June 2020, the House of Commons published a written statement from Rishi Sunak, Chancellor of the Exchequer, on...more
The proposals enhance the FCA’s powers to ensure an orderly wind-down of critical benchmarks and to deal with “tough legacy” contracts that cannot transition from LIBOR. On 23 June 2020, the FCA published a statement...more
In a letter to the International Swaps and Derivatives Association (ISDA) on 20 January 2020, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) confirmed the possibility that LIBOR may continue to be published for a short period after...more
Since it entered into force in 2018, the PRIIPs Regulation has raised a number of issues. These range from issues concerning the scope of the Regulation, in particular its application to corporate bonds and the impact this...more
The FCA has set out guidance for firms on how to manage conduct risk arising from the transition away from LIBOR to alternative benchmarks. Key Points: ..The FCA has set out its expectations for firms, from a conduct...more
The European Securities and Markets Authority has issued four public statements on its preparations for a no-deal Brexit in the event the U.K. fails to agree a deal with the EU or extend the Brexit deadline before October 31,...more
The European Securities and Markets Authority has launched a consultation on proposed changes to the EU Market Abuse Regulation. MAR requires the European Commission to report on certain aspects of the operation of MAR,...more
Tomorrow heralds an important milestone in the evolving saga of LIBOR's discontinuation, seeing the launch of the fifth and final rate, €STR, as the proposed successor to euro LIBOR. However, although in our other articles...more
BMR continues to develop its impact in the different industry sectors that rely on benchmarks, e.g., derivatives, capital markets, banking, etc., as well domestic regulations. In this article, we do not look at a particular...more
On December 20, ESMA published a final report containing guidelines on non-significant benchmarks (“NSBs”) under the Benchmarks Regulation ((EU) 2016/1011) (“BMR”). ...more