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Date Ref. Title Section Type Download Info Summary Related Documents Translated versions
18/05/2011 2011/146 Press release- ESMA issues Guidelines on endorsement and clarifies the use for regula-tory purposes of credit ratings issued outside the European Union after 6 June 2011 Credit Rating Agencies, Press Releases Press Release PDF
33.42 KB
06/06/2011 2011/170 Press release- ESMA and the Japanese FSA exchanged letters establishing the cooperation framework between the EU and Japan for credit rating agencies Credit Rating Agencies, Press Releases Press Release PDF
133.72 KB
20/07/2011 2011/223 Press release- ESMA consults on systems and controls for highly automated trading Press Releases, MiFID - Secondary Markets Press Release PDF
57.39 KB
19/09/2011 2011/306 Press release- ESMA issues first drafts of binding standards for credit rating agencies Credit Rating Agencies, Press Releases Press Release PDF
28.01 KB
12/10/2011 2011/339 Press release- ESMA Stakeholder Group elects Guillaume Prache as chair, Judith Hardt and Peter de Proft as vice-chairs Press Releases, Securities and Markets Stakeholder Group Press Release PDF
29.29 KB
31/10/2011 2011/360 Press release- DBRS, Fitch, Moody's, and S&P receive EU registration Credit Rating Agencies, Press Releases Press Release PDF
189.6 KB
09/12/2011 2011/431 Global regulators discuss OTC derivatives regulation Press Releases, MiFID - Secondary Markets Press Release PDF
18.94 KB		 Leaders and senior representatives of the authorities responsible for the regulation of the over-the-counter (OTC) derivatives markets in Canada, the European Union, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and the United Statesmet met yesterday in Paris.  
22/12/2011 2011/457 ESMA outlines future automated trading regime for trading platforms, investment firms and competent authorities Press Releases, MiFID - Secondary Markets Press Release PDF
151.9 KB
21/12/2011 2011/460 Press Release- ESMA extends transitional period for use of non-EU credit ratings, Australian CRA regime endorsed Credit Rating Agencies, Press Releases Press Release PDF
164.63 KB
24/02/2012 2012/128 ESMA readies guidelines on automated trading – application deadline starts Press Releases, MiFID - Secondary Markets Press Release PDF
167.16 KB		 ESMA today publishes the official translations of its final “Guidelines on systems and controls in an automated trading environment for trading platforms, investment firms and competent authorities” (ESMA/2011/456), first published on 21 December 2011. High Frequency Trading (HFT) is one form of automated trading.   By having translated the guidelines into all the official languages of the EU, today’s publication triggers a transitional period of two months within which national supervisors have to declare whether they intend to comply with the guidelines or otherwise explain the reasons for non-compliance which would be made public by ESMA. According to the ESMA Regulation national supervisors have to make every effort to comply with the Guidelines.
15/03/2012 2012/158 ESMA allows EU-registered CRAs to endorse credit ratings issued in the US, Canada, Hong Kong and Singapore Credit Rating Agencies Press Release PDF
189.93 KB		 ESMA today announces that it considers the regulatory frameworks for credit rating agencies (CRAs) of the United States of America, Canada, Hong Kong and Singapore to be in line with European rules. The EU Regulation (EC) No 1060/2009 on Credit Rating Agencies1 requires ESMA to assess whether the requirements of third-country CRA regimes are “as stringent as” the European ones. Today’s announcement allows European financial institutions to continue using for regulatory purposes credit ratings issued in these countries after 30 April 2012. ESMA’s assessment of third-country CRA regimes is an important tool for enhancing internationally consistent supervision of CRAs in the interests of protecting financial markets and investors in the EU.
22/03/2012 2012/220 ESMA issues a report on its first examinations of credit rating agencies Credit Rating Agencies, Press Releases Press Release PDF
189.81 KB		 ESMA today publishes a report (ESMA/2012/207) on the supervision of Credit Rating Agencies (CRAs) registered in the European Union (EU). The report provides an overview of ESMA’s supervisory activity and summarises the results of the first examinations ESMA conducted in December 2011 of three groups of CRAs, namely Fitch Ratings (Fitch), Moody’s Investor Services (Moody’s) and Standard and Poor’s Rating Services (S&P).
18/04/2012 2012/256 ESMA approves credit ratings from Argentina and Mexico for use in the EU Credit Rating Agencies, Press Releases Press Release PDF
186.59 KB		 The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) announces today that it considers the regulatory frameworks for credit rating agencies (CRAs) of Argentina and Mexico to be in line with European Union rules.  Today’s announcement allows European financial institutions to continue using credit ratings issued in these countries for regulatory purposes after 30 April 2012.In order to facilitate regulatory information exchange, and as a precondition to endorsement, ESMA has entered into co-operation agreements for the supervision of CRAs with the national competent authorities of Argentina and Mexico.  Ratings issued under the regulatory frameworks of Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and the United States have already been approved for use in the EU.
27/04/2012 2012/274 ESMA approves credit ratings from Brazil for use in the EU Credit Rating Agencies, Press Releases Press Release PDF
182.58 KB		 ESMA considers the regulatory framework for credit rating agencies (CRAs) of Brazil to be in line with European Union rules. This allows European financial institutions to continue using credit ratings issued in Brazil for regulatory purposes after 30 April 2012. In order to facilitate the exchange of regulatory information, and as a precondition to endorsement, ESMA has also entered into a co-operation agreement for the supervision of CRAs with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Brazil (Comissão de Valores Mobiliários – CVM).
06/07/2012 2012/424 ESMA publishes MiFID guidelines to enhance investor protection MiFID - Investor Protection, Press Releases Press Release PDF
118.08 KB		 The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has today published two final sets of guidelines aimed at enhancing the protection of investors in the EU. The guidelines relate to the provisions under the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID) relating to the suitability of investment advice and the compliance function.
17/09/2012 2012/581 ESMA proposes remuneration guidelines for firms providing investment services MiFID - Investor Protection, Press Releases Press Release PDF
130.32 KB
02/02/2012 2012/64 ESMA makes available data on credit ratings’ past performances- central repository launched Credit Rating Agencies Press Release PDF
196.21 KB		 ESMA launches today a Central Rating Repository (CEREP) providing information on credit ratings issued by those 15 Credit Rating Agencies (CRAs) which are either registered or certified in the European Union.   The CEREP database will allow investors to assess for the first time on a single platform the performance and reliability of credit ratings on different types of ratings, asset classes and geo-graphical regions over the time period of choice.  To access the database, please click here.
20/12/2012 2012/860 ESMA proposes guidelines on the scope of the CRA Regulation Credit Rating Agencies, Press Releases Press Release PDF
109.79 KB		 ESMA proposes guidelines on the scope of the CRA Regulation The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has launched a Consultation Paper on Guidelines and Recommendations on the scope of the CRA Regulation.  The draft Guidelines aim to provide clarification on certain aspects of the scope of the Credit Rating Agencies (CRA) Regulation to registered CRAs, other market participants operating on the perimeter of this sector and to national securities markets regulators.The draft Guidelines focus on a number of areas under the CRA Regulation, which ESMA believes require clarification following its experience of the registration process and the enforcement of the perimeter of the CRA Regulation under the new EU supervisory regime.  The Guidelines will contribute to a consistent approach to the application of the CRA Regulation and ensure a level-playing field for all market participants in this industry.ESMA would like to remind market participants that issuing credit ratings in the EU is a regulated activity.  Market participants conducting rating activities within the scope of the CRA Regulation must apply for registration with ESMA, and that carrying on these activities without registration constitutes an infringement of the CRA Regulation and is subject to administrative sanctions, including fines.The draft Guidelines address the following issues:•    Obligation to register;•    Credit rating activities and exemptions from registration;•    Private Ratings;•    Establishment of branches outside the EU by registered CRAs;•    Specific disclosure best practices – credit scoring firms and export credit agencies; and•    Enforcement of the scope of the CRA RegulationThe closing date for responses is 20 February 2013 and an open hearing on the consultation will take place in Paris on 22 January 2013.
11/01/2013 2013/13 ESMA and the EBA take action to strengthen Euribor and benchmark rate-setting processes Risk Analysis & Economics - Markets Infrastructure Investors, Press Releases Press Release PDF
207.75 KB
20/09/2013 2013/1324 ESMA TRV: market conditions improve, as systemic risks persist Risk Analysis & Economics - Markets Infrastructure Investors Press Release PDF
149.46 KB		 The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) published today its Trends, Risks, Vulnerabilities (TRV) Report and a Risk Dashboard for the second quarter of 2013. The TRV examines the performance of securities markets in the first half of 2013, assessing both trends and risks in order to develop a comprehensive picture of systemic and macro-prudential risks in the EU, to assist both national and EU bodies in their risk assessments. ESMA’s TRV contributes to promoting financial stability and enhancing consumer protection by regularly looking into cross-border and cross-sector trends, risks and vulnerabilities, both at the wholesale and retail level. The TRV finds that EU securities markets and investment conditions in the EU have improved for a second quarter in a row since the 4th quarter of 2012, although systemic risk persisted at medium to high levels. Amongst other risk factors, uncertainty remained high due to concerns over funding sources, low interest rates and recent market fluctuations, resulting in increased market risk, while liquidity, credit and contagion risk continue to be significant. Steven Maijoor, ESMA Chair, said: “While the easing of stress in financial markets is a positive sign, systemic risks in the EU remain high and uncertainty in the international market environment has risen. Valuations in securities markets, volatility in fund flows, and continuity issues around financial benchmarks remain a matter of concern. Faced with these issues regulators and market participants should remain vigilant. “ESMA’s work on identifying those risks facing Europe’s securities markets is an important component in the European System of Financial Supervision’s efforts to foster recovery in its markets and promote financial stability.” The TRV identifies the following key trends for the first half of 2013 in EU securities markets: • Securities markets: market conditions improved moderately while issuance was subdued with equity prices declining and inter-bank lending increasing. The second quarter saw an increase in sovereign borrowing costs, and corporate bonds; covered bonds and securitised products were subdued; • Collective investments: asset managers benefited from improved market conditions, mainly driven by bond, equity or alternative funds whereas money market fund assets decreased. Overall, leverage remained moderate but capital inflows were volatile reflecting a decline in investor sentiment; and • Market infrastructures: trading on EU venues increased in early 2013. Central clearing of interest rate swaps continued to grow. Potential continuity issues around financial benchmarks give rise to concerns. Key risks identified in the Report, and published separately in the Risk Dashboard, include: • Liquidity risk: even though policy action helped to reduce liquidity risks in main market segments, others rose, leaving the overall liquidity risk at high levels; • Credit risk: securities markets in the EU saw a reduction in issuance volumes, mainly in asset classes with higher risk and longer maturities. Despite recent debt refinancing, overall credit risk remains high; • Market risk: equity and bond markets risks increased driven by rising concerns over the valuation of assets; and • Contagion risk: the risk of contagion between market segments remained unchanged, while the level of credit default swap exposures declined. In addition, the TRV presents in-depth analyses on four specific topics: • First evidence on the impact of the Short-Selling Regulation on securities markets; • Contagion risks and the network structure of EU CDS exposures; • Overview of the EU UCITS industry; and • Overview of bail-in and contingent capital securities. Next steps As part of its on-going market surveillance, ESMA publishes its TRV semi-annually, complemented by its quarterly risk dashboard.

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