Podcast: ESMA Report: Undue Pressure on Companies
The first half of 2025 brought significant developments in the regulation of digital and cryptoassets in the UK and EU. In this half-year update, we review these and look ahead to likely developments in the UK and EU in the...more
Following the extension of EU equivalence for UK CCPs to 30 June 2028 under the EU European Market Infrastructure Regulation (EMIR), on 17 March, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) announced the extension of...more
The European Commission has extended its equivalence determination for U.K. central counterparties under the European Market Infrastructure Regulation until June 30, 2028...more
Following the turn of the new year, our UK Regulatory specialists have examined the key regulatory developments in 2025 impacting a range of UK and European firms within the financial services sector. The key dates have been...more
1. Bank regulation - 1.1 PRUDENTIAL REGULATION - a) General - (i) International - FSB: Plenary December 2024 - Status: Final - The FSB has set out the outcomes of its Plenary that met on 3 and 4 December. Points of...more
On December 4, 2024, EU Regulation 2024/2987 (EMIR 3), amending EU Regulation 648/2012 on the European Market Infrastructure (EMIR), was published in the EU Official Journal. EMIR 3 will enter into force on December 24, 2024,...more
The European Securities and Markets Authority has published a final report on its assessment of the shortening of the settlement cycle in the EU to T+1. The report highlights that the increased efficiency and resilience of...more
1. Bank regulation - 1.1 PRUDENTIAL REGULATION - a) General - (i) International - FSB: 2024 list of global systemically important banks - Status: Final - The FSB has published a 2024 list of global systemically...more
1. Bank regulation - 1.1 PRUDENTIAL REGULATION - a) General - (i) Germany - BReg: Government draft on the Second Future Financing Act (Regierungsentwurf zum zweiten Zukunftsfinanzierungsgesetz) Status: Draft - The...more
The European Commission, the European Central Bank and the European Securities and Markets Authority have published a joint statement on the next steps to support the preparations towards a transition to T+1. Under the EU...more
Many governments are grappling with the question of how to regulate artificial intelligence to ensure it is adopted safely and used responsibly without hampering innovation. Governments have generally indicated similar...more
1. Bank regulation - 1.1 PRUDENTIAL REGULATION - a) General - (i) EU - EC: Report on the future of European competitiveness Status: Final - The EC has published a report on the future of European competitiveness,...more
Long IT sub-contracting chains can make it hard for financial institutions to understand the vulnerabilities in their IT estate and the location of key functions (where these may be located in entities who do not have a...more
This client memorandum concerns a highly technical point of considerable practical importance. It challenges aspects of the received wisdom that, for post-Brexit cross-border investment business conducted from the U.K....more
There were some key publications this week in relation to financial crime, including a Commission request for the EBA to advise on standards and guidelines under the future AML/CFT framework in Europe and, in the UK, an HMT...more
A U.K. statutory instrument has been published specifying that the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission regime for central counterparties is equivalent to the U.K. regime (which is set out under the U.K. European Market...more
The EBA has published the European Supervisory Examination Programme (ESEP) for 2024, which identifies key topics for heightened supervisory attention across the EU. The EBA selected three key topics for supervisory attention...more
The UK and Europe have released a number of updated requirements for securitisations that, while not effecting material changes, are notable in their scope and number. Below, we give a brief guide to these changes and their...more
Environmental, social and governance (ESG) ratings are increasingly used by investors, lenders and regulators to assess the sustainability performance of companies. They can, for example, assess an entity’s exposure to, and...more
Key developments of interest over the last month include: the UK Payment Systems Regulator’s proposals on mandatory reimbursement for APP fraud; the Central Bank of Ireland’s announcement of a review of the Consumer...more
The European Securities and Markets Authority has opened a consultation on proposals to amend the EU clearing and trading derivative obligations to reflect recent benchmark transitions from LIBOR to so-called risk-free rates....more
The U.K. Financial Conduct Authority has published a Policy Statement and final changes to the Listing Rules following its Primary Market Effectiveness Review consultation. The changes become effective on December 3, 2021 and...more
Benchmarks (Provision of Information and Documents) (Amendment) Regulations 2021 published The Benchmarks (Provision of Information and Documents) (Amendment) Regulations 2021 (SI 2021/920) (Amending Regulations) have been...more
SMCR for FMIs: HM Treasury consultation HM Treasury has published a consultation paper proposing a Senior Managers and Certification Regime (SMCR or SM&CR) for financial market infrastructures (FMIs). The consultation closes...more
The new UK National Security and Investment Act 2021 (NSI Act) received Royal Asset on 29 April 2021 and, at the time, the UK Government indicated that further guidance regarding the scope and the effective date of the NSI...more