ESMA starts publishing questions received through its Q&A process

This publication comes in the context of the entry into force of the revised ESMA Regulation (OJ, 27.12.2019) including its new provisions applicable to Q&As (New Article 16b), which  require ESMA to set up a web-based tool to facilitate the submission of questions and the publication of questions received as well as answers to admissible questions.

ESMA welcomes the new requirements which will ensure additional interaction with stakeholders regarding Q&As and which will also further strengthen and increase supervisory convergence in the EU. ESMA is committed to implementing this web-based tool and is working on developing the necessary IT infrastructure. The roll-out of the IT infrastructure will be done on a phased basis and during the course of the year. Pending the full implementation of this web-based tool, stakeholders can continue submitting questions to ESMA through the Q&A webpage of the ESMA website (here).

In terms of next steps, ESMA has started publishing, in advance, on its website the following questions:

• questions for which a Q&A will be put on the agenda of ESMA's relevant Standing Committee;
• rejected questions, i.e. questions that were tabled for discussions in an ESMA Standing Committee and to which ESMA does not intend to provide an answer; and
• questions forwarded to the Commission.

The questions are published within a spreadsheet available on the Q&A webpage of the ESMA website (here). ESMA will update the spreadsheet every Friday afternoon (when updates are necessary).