Regulation

No possibility of a ‘bundle of equivalence decisions’: EU financial services chief

Mairead McGuinness, European commissioner for financial services, financial stability, and capital markets unions, said that while the EU and the UK are on track to conclude the memorandum of understanding on financial services before end of March, a bundle of equivalence decisions is not on the table.

ESMA proposes Taxonomy-aligned disclosure rules for non-financial firms, AMs

The EU securities regulator’s advice to the European Commission sets key performance indicators (KPIs) disclosures to ascertain which businesses qualify as sustainable under the Taxonomy Regulation, and disclosure mandates for asset managers.

Digital brokers respond to EU watchdog’s call for scrutiny of zero-commission business models

Targeted by ESMA's chair Steven Maijoor, zero-commission trading platforms decrypt their business models and stress that the public must have a greater say in public markets.

French climate watchdog castigates local climate draft bill

The French High Council on Climate (HCC) on Tuesday has given its view on the climate draft bill proposed by the government. The law is expected to improve ways to drive the energy transition and to reduce high-carbon emitting practices locally through 69 measures.

UK parliament calls on FCA to set deadline for Woodford investigation

Responding to the rumours of UK stock picker Neil Woodford’s new business, Mel Stride, Chair of the Treasure Committee of the parliament, has asked the Financial Conduct Authority for a deadline on the investigation on the fund manager, who shut down the Woodford fund due to illiquid assets.

ESMA addresses retail investors in EU GameStop fear

The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) cannot not rule out that similar circumstances to those of the GameStop episode in the US “may occur in the EU as well,” it acknowledged on Wednesday.

French reg' tightens professional certification requirements for sustainable finance

Following a proposal by the Financial Skills Certification Board (HCCP), the Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF) has decided to create a module in order to check professionals' knowledge in green and responsible finance, with greater emphasis on these subjects in its general examination for AMF certification.

Efama slams EC over depicting shareholders as short-term minded

The European fund and asset management association (Efama) answered to the consultation of the European Commission regarding its future initiative on sustainable corporate governance.

Gas industry lies at the heart of EU Taxonomy delay

The European Union has pushed the finalisation of sustainable finance taxonomy rules to later in the year, following opposition from certain EU member states who called for granting natural gas a transition fuel status in the draft guidelines.