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. 

EMIR: A Fair Price for Safety and Transparency - speech by Steven Maijoor, ESMA Chair, at the EMIR conference in the Hague

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) has sent the European Commission a Final Report proposing an amendment to Article 5 of the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No.1247/2012 (ITS on reporting) on the format and frequency of reporting to trade repositories under EMIR. The amendment relates specifically to the reporting of exchange traded derivatives (ETDs) and proposes postponing the reporting start date by one year. Background Article 5 regards the reporting start date of derivatives to trade repositories, however the current dates do not include a specification of ETDs. This specification would be useful as there is a risk currently that reporting of ETDs is not harmonised unless further regulatory guidance is issued. Based on the need to ensure the consistent implementation of EMIR, ESMA considered that guidelines and recommendations should be developed in relation to this issue. A delay in the reporting date for ETD transactions will allow sufficient time for the development of the relevant guidelines and their implementation by counterparties, trade repositories and regulators. The European Commission has three months to decide whether to endorse ESMA’s draft implementing technical standards.

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.

The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has issued final draft regulatory technical standards (RTS) related to derivative transactions by non-European Union (EU) counterparties. The RTS implement provisions of the Regulation on OTC derivatives, central counterparties and trade repositories (EMIR).

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.

Keynote Speech - The reform of financial markets: halfway there Steven Maijoor, ESMA Chair AFME Post Trade Conference, London Excerpt "Three challenges Ladies and gentlemen, so far so good about the completion of the legislation to meet our G20 commitments and developing a single rulebook for financial services. Let me now turn to the three main challenges I see in the current phase of regulatory reform. My main message is that while the legislative phase nears completion, it does not imply the completion of the regulatory reform programme. Let me explain that further by identifying three commitments for the next phase of regulatory reform. Firstly, commitment to the financial reform, its implementation and to adequate supervision. Legislation needs to be accompanied by good implementing measures, to ensure the legislation works in practice, and credible supervision. Secondly, a commitment to supervisory convergence in order to establish a truly internal market and to prevent regulatory arbitrage within the EU. Agreeing at EU level on a single rule book for all 28 Member States is a big step. However, ensuring that this single rule book is supervised consistently across the 28 Member States is an even bigger step. Thirdly, in order to prevent crises we need commitment to the lessons learned from the crisis regarding risk analysis and the availability of high quality data on financial markets. We need more information on securities markets. Since the beginning of the financial crisis securities regulators have learned a lot about how to deal with financial stability – an area that was beforehand mainly reserved for central bankers and banking regulators. Information on financial markets is key to achieve the financial stability objective. It is therefore no surprise that many pieces of recently introduced legislation already include data requirements. Securities regulators however also need to step up their role on this and need more resources to collect and analyse data. It goes without saying that more data and analysis will also support our other important objective of investor protection."

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