This consultation paper includes the Regulatory and Implementing Technical Standards ESMA is required to draft under the Regulation of the European Parliament and Council on OTC derivatives, central counterparties and trade repositories (EMIR). It covers implementing measures for the application of the clearing obligation for risk mitigation techniques, exemptions for non-financial counterparties and intra-group transactions, requirements for CCPs and reporting and disclosure obligations for trade repositories. 

The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) is publishing this discussion paper in order to seek stakeholders’ views on the preparation of the regulatory technical standards ESMA is required to draft under Article 5(2) “Clearing Obligation Procedure” of the Regulation (EU) No 648/2012 of the European Parliament and Council on OTC derivatives, central counterparties and trade repositories (EMIR). The input from stakeholders will help ESMA in the development of the relevant technical standards to be drafted and submitted to the European Commission for endorsement in the form of Commission Regulations, i.e. a legally binding instrument directly applicable in all Member States of the European Union. One essential element in the development of draft technical standards is the analysis of the costs and benefits that those legal provisions will imply. Input in this respect and any supportive data will be highly appreciated and kept confidential where required. Please respond to the consultation using the response template. The closing date for responses is 12 September 2013.

Draft Regulatory Technical Standards on contracts having a direct, substantial and foreseeable effect within the Union and non-evasion of provisions of EMIR

The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) is publishing this consultation paper to assist with the preparation of its Technical Advice to the European Commission on the procedural rules for imposing fines and periodic penalties on Trade Repositories. The Commission requested ESMA's advice on 29 April 2013 to assist it in formulating procedural rules by delegated act. (Annex I) The closing date for responses is 15 November 2013 and ESMA aims to provide its advice to the Commission by 31 December 2013.

ESMA is calling for public feedback on possible content to draft technical standards on matters such as settlement discipline, CSD registration and requirements, including confirmation rules (acceptance or rejection of terms in good time before the intended settlement date) for trading venues and investment firms, as well as access to CSDs by other CSDs, participants and other market infrastructures. ESMA has a mandate to draft technical standards on more than 30 aspects under CSDR. ESMA will consider all comments received by 22 May 2014. A public hearing will take place on April 14th at ESMA in Paris, from 13h30 to 17h. As provided for by the ESMA Regulation, a full public consultation will be conducted on the draft technical standards before they are submitted to the European Commission (EC). Therefore, following this DP and on the basis of the relevant input received, ESMA will finalise its proposed draft technical standards, that will be included in a consultation paper. The date of publication of such a consultation paper and the commenting period will depend on the date of publication of the CSDR in the Official Journal and the final deadline for ESMA to deliver the draft RTS and ITS to the EC. Responding to this paper ESMA invites comments on all matters in this paper and in particular on the specific questions summarised in Annex IV. Comments are most helpful if they: indicate the specific question to which the comment relates; respond to the question stated; contain a clear rationale; and describe any alternatives ESMA should consider. ESMA will consider all comments received by 22 May 2014. All contributions should be submitted via ESMA’s website. Publication of responses All contributions received will be published following the close of the consultation period, unless you request otherwise. Please clearly and prominently indicate in your submission any part you do not wish to be publically disclosed. A standard confidentiality statement in an email message will not be treated as a request for non-disclosure. A confidential response may be requested from us in accordance with ESMA’s rules on access to documents. We may consult you if we receive such a request. Any decision we make is reviewable by ESMA’s Board of Appeal and the European Ombudsman. Data protection Information on data protection can be found at www.esma.europa.eu under the heading ‘Disclaimer’. Who should read this paper All interested stakeholders are invited to respond to this discussion paper. In particular, responses are sought from CSDs, CSD users or linked entities, market infrastructures and investors.

With the overarching objective of reducing systemic risk, EMIR introduces the obligation to clear certain classes of OTC derivatives in central clearing houses (CCPs) that have been authorised (European CCPs) or recognised (third-country CCPs) under its framework.ESMA defined the IRS classes to be subject to central clearing following an analysis of all IRS classes which are currently offered for clearing by European CCPs. ESMA’s draft RTS propose to subject the following four classes: Basis swaps, fixed-to-float interest rate swaps, forward rate agreements and overnight index swaps on a range of currencies and maturities. The clearing obligation will take effect following a phased implementation depending on the types of counterparties.Responding to this paperThe European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) invites responses to the specific questions listed in the consultation paper on the clearing obligation no.1. Please use this “form to reply”Details on EMIR and the clearing obligation can be found at the following link: http://www.esma.europa.eu/page/OTC-derivatives-and-clearing-obligation

With the overarching objective of reducing systemic risk, EMIR introduces the obligation to clear certain classes of OTC derivatives in central clearing houses (CCPs) that have been authorised (European CCPs) or recognised (third-country CCPs) under its framework.Following a first consultation paper on the IRS classes to be subject to central clearing, in this second paper ESMA defined the CDS classes to be subject to the clearing obligation based on the analysis of all CDS classes which are currently offered for clearing by European CCPs. ESMA’s draft RTS propose to subject the following class: untranched European index CDS, for two indices. The clearing obligation will take effect following a phased implementation depending on the types of counterparties.Responding to this paperThe European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) invites responses to the specific questions listed in the consultation paper on the clearing obligation no.1. Please use this “form to reply”Details on EMIR and the clearing obligation can be found at the following link: http://www.esma.europa.eu/page/OTC-derivatives-and-clearing-obligation

Who should read this paper All interested stakeholders are invited to respond to this consultation paper. In particular, responses are sought from financial and non-financial counterparties of OTC derivatives transactions which will be subject to the clearing obligation, as well as central counterparties (CCPs). Responding to this paper The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) invites responses to the questions listed in this Consultation Paper on the Clearing Obligation under EMIR (no. 3). All contributions should be submitted online at www.esma.europa.eu under the heading ‘Your input - Consultations’. Please follow the instructions given in the document ‘Reply form for the Consultation Paper on the Clearing Obligation under EMIR (no. 3) also published on the ESMA website . Comments are most helpful if they:•    respond to the question stated;•    indicate the specific question to which the comment relates;•    contain a clear rationale; and•    describe any alternatives ESMA should consider. ESMA will consider all comments received by 6 November 2014. Publication of responses All contributions received will be published following the close of the consultation, unless you request otherwise. Please clearly and prominentlyindicate in your submission any part you do not wish to be publically disclosed. A standard confidentiality statement in an email message will not be treated as a request for non-disclosure. A confidential response may be requested from us in accordance with ESMA’s rules on access to documents. We may consult you if we receive such a request. Any decision we make not to disclose the response is reviewable by ESMA’s Board of Appeal and the European Ombudsman. Data protection Information on data protection can be found at www.esma.europa.eu under the heading ‘Legal Notice’.