ESMA is changing its Union Strategic Supervisory Priorities (USSPs) to focus on cyber risk and digital resilience alongside ESG disclosures.

With this new priority, EU supervisors will put greater emphasis on reinforcing firms’ ICT risk management through close monitoring and supervisory actions, building new supervisory capacity and expertise. The aim is to keep pace with market and technological developments, and closely monitor potential contagion effects of attacks and disruptions across markets and firms.

ESMA calls on candidates to express their interest in joining working groups under its Issuers Standing Committee, namely for the

- Consultative Working Group for Corporate Reporting
- Consultative Working Group for Corporate Finance 

Apply by 15 December.

In a letter addressed to the Economic and Financial Affairs Council, ESMA Chair, Verena Ross, calls on Member States to designate without delay the competent authorities responsible for carrying out the functions and duties provided for under MiCA, and to consider limiting the optional grand-fathering period to 12-months should they choose to offer it in their jurisdictions.

ESMA has also published a statement addressed to entities providing crypto-asset services and the national competent authorities. The competent authorities are encouraged to dedicate resources and align their supervisory practices with those of their counterparts across the EU to begin effective supervision from day one.

ESMA launched a Call for Evidence on the shortening of the settlement cycle. Stakeholders are invited to provide their input by 15 December 2023. 

The Call for Evidence will help ESMA to assess the costs and benefits of a possible reduction of the settlement cycle in the European Union (EU); and identify whether any regulatory action is needed to smoothen the impact for EU market participants of the planned shortening of the settlement cycle to T+1 in other jurisdictions, such as the US.

ESMA will focus on strengthening supervision, enhancing the protection of retail investors, fostering effective markets and financial stability, enabling sustainable finance, as well as facilitating technological innovation and effective use of data.