On 15 April 2019, the Bank of England (BoE) published a Consultation Paper setting out the expected financial market infrastructure (FMI) fee rates for 2019/20. The proposed fees for 2019/20 are expected to total £8.5 million. This is a 4% increase on the 2018/19 budget which has been primarily caused by an increased focus on … Continue Reading
On 15 April 2019, the Bank of England (BoE) published a Policy Statement on the fees regime for non-UK central counterparty (CCP) recognition. The Policy Statement follows the BoE’s consultation last October (our blog is here). The European Securities and Markets Authority’s functions relating to the recognition of third country CCPs under the European Markets … Continue Reading
On 5 April 2019, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) published the official translations of its guidelines on central counterparty (CCP) conflict of interest management under the European Markets Infrastructure Regulation. The guidelines will apply from 5 June 2019 (two months from the date of publication of the guidelines in the official languages of … Continue Reading
On 3 April 2019, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) published the framework of its third EU-wide stress test exercise for central counterparties (CCPs). The framework details the design of the CCP stress test exercise, including the objectives, the methodology and the key milestones. The exercise covers both credit and liquidity risks and further … Continue Reading
On 28 Mach 2019, the European Commission adopted the following Delegated Regulations under EMIR in preparation for a no deal Brexit scenario: Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) of 28.3.2019 amending Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/2251 supplementing EMIR as regards the date until which counterparties may continue to apply their risk-management procedures for certain over-the-counter derivative contracts not … Continue Reading
On 28 March 2019, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) published a statement providing guidance on the new EMIR Refit regime for the clearing obligation for financial and non-financial counterparties. The statement provides guidance for financial and non-financial counterparties subject to EMIR on when they need to determine whether they are subject to the … Continue Reading
On 22 March 2019, there was published in the Official Journal of the EU (OJ),: Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/361 of 13 December 2018 amending Delegated Regulation (EU) No 151/2013 with regard to access to the data held in trade repositories. This amending Delegated Regulation inserts a new Article 2 into Delegated Regulation (EU) No … Continue Reading
On 14 March 2019, the Committee on Payments and Market Infrastructures and the International Organization of Securities Commissions jointly published an update on the progress jurisdictions have made in implementing international standards for payment systems, central securities depositories, securities settlement systems, central counterparties and trade repositories. The information is based on self-assessments made by individual … Continue Reading
On 13 March 2019, two Commission Delegated Regulations were published in the Official Journal of the EU (OJ): Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/396 of 19 December 2018 amending Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/2205, Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/592 and Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1178 supplementing EMIR as regards the date at which the clearing obligation takes effect for … Continue Reading
On 5 March 2019, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (Basel Committee) and the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) published a joint press release on the final implementation phases of the margin requirements for non-centrally cleared derivatives. The press release notes that: the Basel Committee and IOSCO realise that market participants may need to … Continue Reading
On 26 February 2019, the European Commission published for consultation the draft text of its Implementing Decision on the recognition of the legal, supervisory and enforcement arrangements of Japan for derivatives transactions supervised by the Japan Financial Services Agency as equivalent to the valuation, dispute resolution and margin requirements of Article 11 of the European … Continue Reading
On 25 February 2019, the UK and US authorities issued a joint statement on continuity of derivatives trading and clearing post Brexit. The joint statement covers the following issues: Continued supervisory cooperation. The Bank of England (BoE) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) are in the process of updating, in connection with the UK’s … Continue Reading
On 19 February 2019, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) published its annual report and work programme to highlight its direct supervisory activities during 2018 regarding credit rating agencies (CRAs) and trade repositories (TRs) and outline its main priorities in these areas for 2019. In addition, ESMA outlines its activities regarding the monitoring and … Continue Reading
On 14 February 2019, the FCA issued a short performance statement on the operation of its memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Bank of England (BoE) for market infrastructure. The FCA and the BoE have concluded that the MoU’s arrangements for co-operation remain effective, with appropriate co-ordination and no material duplication. The FCA and the … Continue Reading
On 14 February 2019, the Global Foreign Exchange Committee (GFXC) published reports produced by its Disclosures and Cover and Deal working groups and released results from the second annual survey on the FX Global Code. One report, “The Role of Disclosure and Transparency in the Global FX Market”, describes eight characteristics to help market participants … Continue Reading
On 7 February 2019, the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) published a final report on good or sound practices within commodity storage and delivery infrastructures. The report builds on the findings of IOSCO’s report ‘The Impact of Storage and Delivery Infrastructure on Derivatives Market Pricing’ (Storage Report), which was published in May 2016. The … Continue Reading
On 5 February 2019, the Council of the EU announced that it and the European Parliament had reached a preliminary agreement on the draft Regulation amending the EMIR (the EMIR Refit Regulation). The announcement states that the agreed text: introduces a new category of “small financial counterparties” which will be exempted from the obligation to … Continue Reading
On 4 February 2019, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) published an updated version of its Q&As on EMIR. The updated Q&As modify two questions concerning trade repositories, specifically regarding contracts with no maturity date (trade repositories Q34), and trades terminated before the reporting deadline (trade repositories Q38). A new question 50 is also … Continue Reading
On 1 February 2019, the European Systemic Risk Board (ESRB) published a report on interoperability arrangements between central counterparties (CCPs). A previous report published by the ESRB in 2016 concluded that, although interoperability arrangements provide clearing members with increased opportunities for netting and lead to a reduction in outstanding gross exposures in the system, they are … Continue Reading
On 31 January 2019, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) published a statement on EMIR implementation considerations regarding the clearing and trading obligation for small financial counterparties and the backloading requirement with respect to the reporting obligation. Clearing and trading obligation for small financial counterparties Under EMIR, the clearing obligation start date for counterparties … Continue Reading
On 30 January 2019, ESMA published an updated version of Q&As on the Central Securities Depositories Regulation (CSDR). Two new Q&As have been inserted under Part III of the Q&As (settlement discipline). The new Q&As concern the calculation of cash penalties, and the scope of cash penalties. … Continue Reading
On 29 January 2019, the European Central Securities Depositories Association (ECSDA) published an updated version of its draft Central Securities Depositories Regulation (CSDR) penalties framework. The first draft framework was published for consultation in July 2018, and the updated draft reflects comments received during the public consultation. The ECSDA CSDR Penalties Framework is the effort … Continue Reading
On 29 January 2019, there was published in the Official Journal of the EU (OJ), Council Decision (EU) 2019/134 of 21 January 2019 on the position to be adopted, on behalf of the European Union, within the EEA Joint Committee, concerning the amendment of Annex IX (Financial Services) to the EEA Agreement. The decision states … Continue Reading
On 28 January 2019, the FICC Markets Standards Board (FMSB) has published the final version of its standard on secondary market trading error compensation under its remit to improve conduct and raise standards in the wholesale fixed income, currencies and commodities markets. The new standard sets out expected behaviours that are designed to improve the … Continue Reading
