Germany

Central clearing: Three lessons and a path forward – speech by Christina Segal-Knowles

On 19 May 2022, Christina Segal-Knowles gave a speech at the European Association of CCP Clearing Houses (EACH) in Brussels. The speech addressed central clearing, and the lessons that can be learnt from recent episodes of market stress in order to make central clearing stronger. The speech highlights how, going forward, cross border cooperation is … Continue Reading

Trilogue discussions on the proposed “travel rule” for crypto-assets continue

By Anna Carrier (BE) on May 23, 2022 Posted in Fintech, Fintech, Fintech, Fintech, Fintech, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, United Kingdom

On 28 April 2022, a first political trilogue on the proposed regulation on information accompanying transfer of funds and certain crypto-assets (Transfer of Funds Regulation) took place between the European Commission, the Council and the European Parliament. By way of background, the proposed legislation seeks to implement in European law the so called “travel rule” … Continue Reading

ESMA updates Q&As

By Simon Lovegrove (UK) on May 23, 2022 Posted in France, Germany, Italy, Regulation and Compliance, Regulation and compliance, Regulation and compliance, Regulation and Compliance, Regulation and compliance, The Netherlands, United Kingdom

On 20 May 2022, the European Securities and Markets Authority updated the following Q&As: Application of the Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive. Application of the UCITS Directive. Implementation of the Regulation on improving securities settlement in the EU and on central securities depositories. On the European crowdfunding service providers for business Regulation. On MiFID II … Continue Reading

Delegated Regulation amending Commission Delegated Regulation 2015/61 supplementing the CRR with regard to the liquidity coverage requirement for credit institutions

By Jochen Vester (UK) and Simon Lovegrove (UK) on May 23, 2022 Posted in Capital Adequacy, Capital adequacy, Capital adequacy, Capital Adequacy, Capital adequacy, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, United Kingdom

On 20 May 2022, there was published in the Official Journal of the EU, Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/786 of 10 February 2022 amending Commission Delegated Regulation 2015/61 supplementing the Capital Requirements Regulation (CRR) with regard to the liquidity coverage requirement for credit institutions. Commission Delegated Regulation 2015/61 (LCR Delegated Regulation) is applicable to all … Continue Reading

ESMA issues four consultations on CCP resolution regime

By Hannah Meakin (UK) on May 23, 2022 Posted in Clearing and Settlement, Clearing and settlement, Clearing and settlement, Clearing and Settlement, Clearing and settlement, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, United Kingdom

On 19 May 2022, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) issued four consultation papers on proposed guidelines for the EU central counterparty (CCP) resolution regime. The consultation papers cover draft guidelines on: The summary of resolution plans. The guidelines provide resolution authorities with guidance as to the type of information that should be included … Continue Reading

SRB Addendum to the Public Interest Assessment – Deposit Guarantee Schemes Considerations

By Michael Born (DE) on May 23, 2022 Posted in Banking, Banking, Banking, Banking, Banking, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, United Kingdom

On 20 May 2022, the Single Resolution Board (SRB) announced an enhancement to its approach to the Public Interest Assessment (PIA) policy in resolution planning. The PIA is one of the key policies underpinning the work of the SRB. It examines whether the resolution of a particular EU bank that is failing, or likely to … Continue Reading

Targeted consultation on the regime applicable to the use of benchmarks administered in a third country

By Simon Lovegrove (UK) on May 23, 2022 Posted in Benchmarks, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, United Kingdom

On 20 May 2022, the European Commission issued a targeted consultation seeking views on further potential improvements in the functioning of the Benchmarks Regulation (BMR), specifically as regards the rules applicable to non-EEA benchmarks and the impact on market participants of the full entry into application of the third country regime as of 1 January … Continue Reading

ESMA final report on the relevance of extending the transitional period set out in Article 48 of the EU Crowdfunding Regulation

By Simon Lovegrove (UK) on May 20, 2022 Posted in France, Germany, Italy, Regulation and Compliance, Regulation and compliance, Regulation and compliance, Regulation and Compliance, Regulation and compliance, The Netherlands, United Kingdom

On 19 May 2022, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) issued a final report regarding the relevance of extending the transitional period set out in Article 48 of the EU Crowdfunding Regulation (ECSPR). The final report has been issued in response to a formal request that the ESMA received from the European Commission to … Continue Reading

ESMA report on highly liquid instruments

By Hannah McAslan (UK) on May 20, 2022 Posted in Clearing and Settlement, Clearing and settlement, Clearing and settlement, Clearing and Settlement, Clearing and settlement, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, United Kingdom

On 19 May 2022, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) issued a final report on highly liquid financial instruments for central counterparty (CCP) investment policies under the European Market Infrastructure Regulation (EMIR). The final report has been published in response to a mandate that the European Commission issued on 18 May 2020 asking the … Continue Reading

The desks mapping review – integrating Brexit banks into European banking supervision

By Michael Born (DE) on May 20, 2022 Posted in Banking, Banking, Banking, Banking, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands

On 19 May 2022, the European Central Bank (ECB) updated its supervision blog by posting an update by its chair, Andrea Enria. The posting concerns Brexit and the relocation of business by international banks from London to subsidiaries in the euro area. The blog posting refers to the ECB’s supervisory work in the form of … Continue Reading

European Parliament draft report on proposal for a directive amending the AIFMD and UCITS IV Directive as regards delegation arrangements, liquidity risk management, supervisory reporting, provision of depositary and custody services and loan origination by alternative investment funds

By Simon Lovegrove (UK) on May 20, 2022 Posted in Canada, Collective investment schemes, Collective investment schemes, Collective Investment Schemes, Collective investment schemes, Collective Investment Schemes, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, United Kingdom

On 16 May 2022, the European Parliament published a draft report concerning the proposal for a directive amending the Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive (AIFMD) and UCITS IV Directive as regards delegation arrangements, liquidity risk management, supervisory reporting, provision of depositary and custody services and loan origination by alternative investment funds. The draft report sets … Continue Reading

EBA adopts decision on supervisory reporting for intermediate EU parent undertaking threshold monitoring

By Simon Lovegrove (UK) on May 20, 2022 Posted in Banking, Banking, Banking, Banking, Banking, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, United Kingdom

On 13 May 2022, the European Banking Authority (EBA) adopted a decision on supervisory reporting for intermediate parent undertaking (IPU) threshold monitoring for those entities belonging to third country groups (TCGs), including third country branches (TCBs). Article 21b of the Capital Requirements Directive IV (CRD IV) requires institutions belonging to TCGs to have an IPU … Continue Reading

ESMA final reports on CCP resolution regime

By Jochen Vester (UK) on May 18, 2022 Posted in Clearing and Settlement, Clearing and settlement, Clearing and settlement, Clearing and Settlement, Clearing and settlement, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, United Kingdom

On 16 May 2022, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) published its final reports on the central counterparties’ (CCPs) resolution regime under the Regulation on CCP recovery and resolution (CCPRRR). The final reports are: Final report on guidelines on the application of the circumstances under which a CCP is deemed to be failing or … Continue Reading

Commission adopts Delegated Regulation amending RTS on the specification of the calculation of specific and general credit risk adjustments

By Jochen Vester (UK) on May 17, 2022 Posted in Capital Adequacy, Capital adequacy, Capital adequacy, Capital Adequacy, Capital adequacy, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, United Kingdom

On 12 May 2022, the European Commission adopted a Delegated Regulation amending the regulatory technical standards (RTS) laid down in Delegated Regulation (EU) No 183/2014, as regards the specification of the calculation of specific and general credit risk adjustment. The Delegated Regulation is intended to address an anomaly regarding the sale of defaulted exposures, where … Continue Reading

SFDR queries forwarded to the Commission

By Simon Lovegrove (UK) on May 17, 2022 Posted in ESG, ESG, ESG, ESG, ESG, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, United Kingdom

On 13 May 2022, the European Supervisory Authorities (ESAs) submitted to the European Commission 10 queries regarding the interpretation of the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR) and the Taxonomy Regulation (TR). The queries relate to the following five areas: Principal adverse impact (PAI) disclosures: Whether it is possible for a financial market participant to not … Continue Reading

EBA consults on standardized information requirements to support sales of non-performing loans

By Jochen Vester (UK) on May 17, 2022 Posted in Capital Adequacy, Capital adequacy, Capital adequacy, Capital Adequacy, Capital adequacy, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, United Kingdom

On 16 May 2022, the European Banking Authority (EBA) issued a consultation regarding draft implementing technical standards (ITS) specifying the templates to be used by credit institutions for the provision of information to credit purchasers when selling or transferring non-performing loans (NPLs) for the purposes of financial due diligence and valuation of NPLs. The data … Continue Reading

Beyond the temporary permissions regime: is your firm ready?

By Hannah McAslan (UK) on May 16, 2022 Posted in Brexit, France, Germany, Italy, Regulation and Compliance, Regulation and Compliance, Regulation and compliance, United Kingdom

Following Brexit, European firms that were previously providing services in the UK (either through a UK branch or on a cross-border basis) in reliance upon passporting rights, are able to continue to do so under the UK’s temporary permissions regime (TPR) until they are assigned a “landing slot” by the PRA / FCA to apply … Continue Reading

ESMA reminds fund managers of their obligations to investors amid the war in Ukraine

By Simon Lovegrove (UK) on May 16, 2022 Posted in France, Germany, Italy, Regulation and Compliance, Regulation and compliance, Regulation and compliance, Regulation and Compliance, Regulation and compliance, The Netherlands, United Kingdom

On 16 May 2022, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) issued a statement on the implications of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on investment fund portfolios. In the statement ESMA recalls some general principles that can be derived from EU law that are of relevance to the management of the impact of the Russian invasion … Continue Reading

EBA final technical standards on crowdfunding service providers

By Matthew Gregory (UK) on May 16, 2022 Posted in France, Germany, Italy, Regulation and Compliance, Regulation and compliance, Regulation and compliance, Regulation and Compliance, Regulation and compliance, The Netherlands, United Kingdom

On 13 May 2022, the European Banking Authority (EBA) published a final report setting out draft Regulatory Technical Standards (RTS) per its mandate under Article 19(7) of the European Crowdfunding Service Providers Regulation specifying the: Elements to be included in the information to investors with respect to the description of the method to calculate credit … Continue Reading

CPMI paper – ‘Extending and aligning payment system operating hours for cross-border payments’

By Simon Lovegrove (UK) on May 13, 2022 Posted in France, Germany, Italy, Payment services, Payment Services, Payment services, Payment services, The Netherlands, United Kingdom

On 12 May 2022, the Committee on Payments and Market Infrastructures (CPMI) issued a final report on extending and aligning payment system operating hours for cross-border payments. The final report focuses on the operating hours of real-time gross settlement (RTGS) systems as key payment systems to enhance cross-border payments. Key points in the final report … Continue Reading

Council and European Parliament reach provisional agreement on DORA

By Simon Lovegrove (UK) on May 12, 2022 Posted in Fintech, Fintech, Fintech, Fintech, Fintech, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, United Kingdom

On 11 May 2022, it was announced that the Council presidency and the European Parliament had reached provisional agreement on the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA). The provisional agreement is subject to approval by the Council and the European Parliament before going through the formal adoption procedure. The European Parliament’s press release on the provisional … Continue Reading

Commission adopts stronger consumer rules for online financial services

By Anna Carrier (BE) on May 12, 2022 Posted in France, Germany, Italy, Retail, Retail, Retail, Retail, Retail, The Netherlands, United Kingdom

On 11 May 2022, the European Commission published a draft Directive that amends the current EU rules on Distance Marketing of Consumer Financial Services, which govern financial services sold at a distance. The press release mentions that the draft Directive provides for: Easier access to a 14-day withdrawal right for distance contracts for financial services. … Continue Reading

Wolfsberg Group FAQs on negative news screening

On 11 May 2022, the Wolfsberg Group published FAQs on how undertaking screening for negative news and other forms of adverse information can enhance a financial institution’s awareness of potential financial-crime risk posed by both existing and prospective customers. The Wolfsberg Group recognises that there is no universally agreed and accepted definition of negative news. … Continue Reading

EBA annual report on convergence of supervisory practices

By Simon Lovegrove (UK) on May 12, 2022 Posted in France, General, General, General, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, United Kingdom

On 11 May 2022, the European Banking Authority (EBA) published its annual report on convergence of supervisory practices for 2021. Among other things the annual report notes: Member State competent authorities (NCAs) made progress in the implementation of the EBA Guidelines on supervisory review and evaluation process (SREP). There needs to be more harmonised practices … Continue Reading