The Financial Action Task Force has published a report on issues of anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing in relation to global stablecoins and stablecoins. The report was mandated by the G20 in October 2019, when it also published its own report on the impact of global stablecoins. The FATF uses the term "so-called stablecoins" in its report to avoid endorsing the use of the phrase "stablecoins", which it views as a marketing term used by promoters of such coins. The term "so-called stablecoins with the potential for mass production" refers to global stablecoins. The FATF has, in parallel, published a 12-month review of its revised FATF standards on virtual assets and virtual asset service providers setting out areas in which the FATF intends to provide updated guidance to cover newly identified risks and provide clarifications.

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Following the letter published on December 18, 2019, to the Chair of the Working Group on Sterling Risk-Free Reference Rates, which provided clarification on the impact that the LIBOR transition is likely to have on the prudential requirements for banks, the Prudential Regulation Authority has published a statement providing clarity on the implications of LIBOR transition for contracts in scope of the PRA’s rules on Contractual Recognition of Bail-In and Stay in Resolution. The PRA states that, where the sole purpose of an amendment to a liability or a financial arrangement is to cease using LIBOR, the amendment should not be considered a material amendment under the PRA rules. 

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The U.K. Financial Conduct Authority has published an updated statement on the open access regime for trading and clearing exchange-traded derivatives. The Markets in Financial Instruments Regulation provided a temporary opt-out from the open access requirements for trading venues and clearing houses in relation to ETDs. The opt-out was due to expire on July 3, 2020. However, in light of COVID-19, the EU has announced it is postponing the implementation of the open access regime for ETDs until July 3, 2021. The FCA's statement acknowledges the EU's postponement of the regime and states that the amended open access regime will form part of retained EU law that will be transposed by the U.K. post-Brexit and will continue to apply in the U.K. after the end of the transition period.

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HM Treasury has published the Global Human Rights Sanctions Regulations 2020, a new piece of U.K. legislation designed to target those involved in serious violations of human rights. The Regulations come into force on July 6, 2020. They apply to relevant conduct by any person across the whole of the U.K. but also have extra-territorial effect, additionally applying to conduct by U.K. persons (including U.K. incorporated companies and overseas branches of such companies) outside the U.K. and by any person in the territorial sea adjacent to the U.K.

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A notice of information has been published in the Official Journal of the European Union, postponing the entry into application of open access provisions for exchange-traded derivatives under the Markets in Financial Instruments Regulation until July 3, 2021.

MiFIR requires a trading venue to provide open and non-discriminatory access to a CCP so that a CCP can clear trades in transferable securities, money market instruments and ETDs concluded on a trading venue of their choice. There is a reciprocal requirement on CCPs to provide open and non-discriminatory access to a trading venue that wishes to clear financial instruments through a particular CCP. These provisions have been in force for over-the-counter products (i.e. those not traded on a regulated market) for some time. The European Securities and Markets Authority published a statement in June 2020 setting out the circumstances in which trading venues and CCPs may refuse requests for access, acknowledging the strain placed on trading venues and CCPs by COVID-19, which may impact their ability to deal with such requests.

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The Basel Committee on Banking Supervision has published final updated guidelines on the "Sound management of risks related to money laundering and financing of terrorism". The updated guidelines apply to all banks, banking groups and relevant regulators.

The updated guidelines include detailed guidance on the interaction between prudential and AML/CFT supervision to enhance the effectiveness of the supervision of banks' AML/CFT regimes. The updated guidelines also merge and replace two other Basel Committee documents, namely Customer due diligence for banks (October 2001) and Consolidated KYC risk management (October 2004). The guidelines should be read in conjunction with other Basel Committee papers, such as the Core principles for effective bank supervision, as well as relevant guidance published by the Financial Action Task Force.

View the updated guidelines.

The Financial Stability Board has published a statement on the impact of COVID-19 on global benchmark reforms. Although the FSB acknowledges some aspects of benchmark reform will be delayed due to the effects of COVID-19, many areas can go on as planned and the FSB considers that firms should continue to make wider use of risk-free rates to reduce reliance on IBORs. Firms should also ensure their transition programs facilitate a transition away from LIBOR before the end of 2021. The FSB will publish a report on the remaining challenges for benchmark transition later in July.

View the FSB's statement on the impact of COVID-19 on LIBOR benchmark reform.

The new German Presidency of the Financial Action Task Force commences today and has set out its objectives for 2020-2022.

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The European Banking Authority has published final guidelines on the implementation of the structural FX provision under the Capital Requirements Regulation. The CRR requires institutions to calculate their net open positions in currencies according to specified formulae but permits institutions to exclude positions that have been taken for hedging purposes and that are structural. The guidelines will apply to both firms and national regulators from January 1, 2022, to allow firms time to comply with the new framework.  However, regulators should review, update or revoke permissions already granted before the guidelines apply.

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The U.K. Financial Conduct Authority has announced its expectations for benchmark administrators and firms using Appointed Representatives that are subject to the Approved Persons Regime during COVID-19. The APR has been superseded by the Senior Managers and Certification Regime for most solo- and dual-regulated firms. However, as benchmark administrators were a new category of authorized firm, they were granted a one-year extension from the roll-out of the SM&CR and so remain subject to the APR until December 7, 2020, when the SM&CR for benchmark administrators that do not undertake other regulated activities will be implemented.

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The U.K. Prudential Regulation Authority has published a statement on the EU Capital Requirements Regulation ‘Quick Fix’ package, confirming that it applies directly to all PRA-regulated firms. The CRR Quick Fix package has applied across the EU since June 27, 2020. The CRR Quick Fix package is part of the EU’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.

In its statement, the PRA confirms that U.K.-regulated banks already applying the CRR transitional arrangements for IFRS 9 must implement the revised calculations as a result of the Quick Fix package, which extended by two years the transitional measures for the implementation of IFRS 9. In addition, a bank contemplating ceasing to apply the IFRS 9 transitional measures must first obtain PRA approval to do so. The PRA is encouraging those banks to submit their requests by July 31, 2020, which requests must include a written explanation of the basis on which senior management has satisfied itself with the continuing adequacy of the bank’s financial resources.

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The Financial Action Task Force has opened a consultation on amendments to Recommendation 1 and its Interpretive Note. Recommendation 1 provides guidance on assessing risks and applying a risk-based approach to money laundering and terrorist financing risks. The FATF is proposing to update the Recommendation to require countries and the private sector to identify and assess risks of potential breaches, non-implementation or evasion of the targeted financial sanctions obligations referred to in Recommendation 7 linked to proliferation financing risks. Responses to the consultation may be submitted until August 31, 2020. The FATF intends to consider the feedback at its plenary session in October 2020.

View the consultation paper.

The U.K. Financial Conduct Authority has announced the extension for solo-regulated firms of the deadline for completion of firms’ first assessments of the fitness and propriety of their Certified Persons. In light of the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on financial institutions, HM Treasury agreed to extend the deadline from December 9, 2020, to March 31, 2021, although the legislation to formalize the extension is yet to be finalized. The FCA states that firms that are able to carry out their assessments before the March 2021 deadline, should do so.

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The U.K. has published Over the Counter Derivatives, Central Counterparties and Trade Repositories (Amendment, etc., and Transitional Provision) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 to onshore the new EU regime for third-country CCPs introduced by amendments to the European Market Infrastructure Regulation, known as EMIR 2.2. EMIR 2.2, which has applied since January 1, 2020, is part of the EU’s push to enhance the regulation of CCPs amid concerns regarding potential CCP failures given their increasing systemic importance and is widely regarded as a direct response to Brexit, given that three of the largest European CCPs are based in the U.K.

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The U.K. Prudential Regulator has announced that, given the time firms have had to adjust to working during COVID-19 and the need for prudential regulators to access data in a timely manner, the PRA expects that, in general, firms will submit regulatory reports on time going forward. Firms experiencing difficulty with this should contact their supervisor. This amends the statement made by the PRA on April 2, 2020, when it stated that it would accept delayed submission of certain regulatory returns with deadlines on or before May 31, 2020. The PRA's previous statement, which confirmed its flexibility on receiving firms' Pillar 3 disclosures, still stands, although the PRA notes that it does not expect publication timelines for Pillar 3 disclosures to be affected by COVID-19 in most cases.

View the PRA's statement on regulatory reporting during COVID-19.

View the PRA's April statement on regulatory reporting.

A new EU Regulation amending the Capital Requirements Regulation (and also amending the Regulation amending the CRR, known as CRR2), has been published in the Official Journal of the European Union. It is known as the CRR Quick Fix package and applies from June 27, 2020. The Regulation forms part of the EU’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. 

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An EU Regulation amending the Regulatory Technical Standards on prudent valuation has been published in the Official Journal of the European Union. The amending Regulation amends Delegated Regulation (EU) No 101/2016 (which supplements the EU Capital Requirements Regulation) by increasing the aggregation factor applicable to the core approach from 50% to 66% until December 31, 2020, with the aim of it applying for the June 30, 2020, COREP reporting. The amending Regulation applies from June 26, 2020.

View the amending Regulation.

The International Organization of Securities Commissions has issued a consultation on proposed guidance on the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning by market intermediaries and asset managers. The draft guidance is intended to assist IOSCO member jurisdictions to develop appropriate regulatory frameworks to mitigate the risks arising from the increased use of AI and ML by financial institutions. Comments on the draft Guidance can be submitted until October 26, 2020.

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The European Banking Authority has published its final reports and draft Implementing Technical Standards for public disclosures and supervisory reporting requirements under the revised EU Capital Requirements Regulation. CRR implements the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision's Pillar 3 disclosure requirements, which require banks to disclose information about their risks and risk management procedures and policies. In 2018, the Basel Committee published updated Pillar 3 requirements. The revised CRR, published in June 2019, incorporates the revised Basel Committee disclosure standards and mandates the EBA to produce the draft ITS to ensure comparability of the disclosures made with international non-EU active banks.

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The European Banking Authority has published its final reports and draft Implementing Technical Standards for public disclosures and supervisory reporting requirements under CRR II. The EU Capital Requirements Regulation implements the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision's Pillar 3 disclosure requirements, which require banks to disclose information about their risks and risk management procedures and policies. In 2018, the Basel Committee published updated Pillar 3 requirements. The revised CRR, published in June 2019, incorporates the revised Basel Committee disclosure standards and mandates the EBA to produce the draft ITS to ensure comparability of the disclosures made with international non-EU active banks.

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The U.K. Financial Conduct Authority has published a discussion paper setting out its initial views on establishing a new Investment Firm Prudential Regime. The EU introduced a new prudential regime for EU investment firms through the Investment Firm Regulation and the Investment Firm Directive, which will (mostly) apply from June 26, 2021. The U.K. encouraged the introduction of the EU IFD and IFR while it was a member of the EU. However, the U.K. will not implement the IFR and IFD into U.K. laws as they come into force after the U.K. has left the EU and after the Brexit transitional period ends.

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HM Treasury has launched a consultation on the U.K.'s intended transposition of the revised EU Bank Recovery and Resolution Directive (known as BRRD 2). BRRD 2 came into force in June 2019 and introduced a series of amendments to BRRD. EU Member States are required to transpose BRRD 2 into their national laws and apply the provisions by no later than December 28, 2020, except for provisions relating to Minimum Requirements for Own Funds and Eligible Liabilities, which apply from January 1, 2024. Under the terms of the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement, the U.K. government has committed to implementing all EU legislation due to be transposed before the end of 2020. HM Treasury has confirmed that, as the implementation of MREL provisions is not required until 2024, the U.K. intends to exercise its discretion to transpose those requirements. The U.K. already has a MREL framework which is based on the Financial Stability Board's Total Loss Absorbing Capacity standards.

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HM Treasury has published an updated policy statement on its proposals for the prudential standards in the U.K.'s upcoming Financial Services Bill. The Financial Services Bill will set out a proposed regulatory framework for the financial services industry following the U.K.'s exit from the EU. HM Treasury published its original policy statement on the proposed prudential regime in March 2020, setting out its plans to: (i) complete the U.K.'s implementation of the remaining Basel III standards; and (ii) establish a new prudential regime for U.K. investment firms.

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A new EU Regulation on the establishment of a framework to facilitate sustainable investment (commonly referred to as the Taxonomy Regulation) has been published in the Official Journal of the European Union. The Taxonomy is a classification system for sustainable activities that is designed to provide a shared understanding of the environmental sustainability of activities and investments. The Regulation sets out the environment objectives for the Taxonomy and the criteria for determining whether an economic activity qualifies as environmentally sustainable. It also makes various amendments to the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation, including requiring the European Supervisory Authorities to develop regulatory technical standards specifying the content and presentation of information demonstrating that a given investment does not significantly harm relevant environmental objectives. 

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The U.K. Financial Conduct Authority has launched a consultation on its proposals to make permanent its ban on the mass-marketing of speculative illiquid securities to retail investors. The FCA’s temporary product intervention measures, restricting the sale of speculative illiquid securities to retail investors other than sophisticated or high net worth investors, came into force on January 1, 2020 for a period of one year. The FCA’s consultation sets out the FCA’s plan for making the measures permanent and extending them to include listed bonds with similar features to speculative illiquid securities that are not regularly traded. Responses to the consultation should be submitted by October 1, 2020.

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The European Banking Authority has published amending draft Regulatory Technical Standards and Implementing Technical Standards on passporting notifications under the fourth Capital Requirements Directive. CRD4 requires an EU bank wishing to establish a branch in another EU Member State to notify the national regulator of its home Member State of certain information. In the event of any changes in the information supplied, the relevant bank must notify the national regulators of both the home and host Member State at least one month prior to the change coming into effect. In 2014, the EBA produced RTS on the information to be provided to the national regulators in connection with the exercise of these passporting rights, and ITS on the forms, templates and procedures for such notifications.

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The European Banking Authority has extended the applicability of its Guidelines on legislative and non-legislative loan repayments in light of the ongoing effects of COVID-19. The Guidelines were originally published in April 2020 and stated that, where payment moratoria were based on national law or a private-sector initiative broadly applied by credit institutions in response to COVID-19, they would not be classified as forbearance or distressed restructuring measures. The Guidelines as originally published applied to moratoria applied before June, 30 2020. That deadline has now been extended to moratoria applied before September 30, 2020.
 
View the EBA's updated statement on its Guidelines on payments moratoria.
 
View details of the EBA's original statement on its Guidelines on payments moratoria.

The European Banking Authority has published the results of its peer review of EU deposit guarantee schemes. The EU Deposit Guarantee Scheme Directive establishes requirements for EU DGSs, including that Member States conduct stress tests of their DGSs. Member States were required to report on their stress tests by July 3, 2019, and the EBA has based its peer review report on the results of the tests. The report is intended to assess the resilience of EU DGSs and identify good practices and areas for improvement.

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The U.K. Government has published the Cyber (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 and an explanatory memorandum. The Regulations are made under the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018, which was introduced to enable the U.K. Government to implement international sanctions following its departure from the EU. The majority of the SAMLA provisions entered into force on November 22, 2018. The purpose of the Regulations is to ensure that the U.K. has an effective cyber sanctions regime at the end of transitional period (currently scheduled for December 31, 2020) as part of the U.K.'s exit from the EU.

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The U.K. Payment Systems Regulator and U.K. Financial Conduct Authority have published a joint statement on their approach to maintaining access to cash for those that need it in light of bank branch and cash machine closures due to COVID-19. The regulators have adopted a series of actions, including mapping which regions have seen branch and cash machine closures, working with banks, building societies, the Post Office and Link to ensure access to these facilities is re-established as soon as possible and focusing on the needs of vulnerable consumers who require ongoing access to cash. In the longer-term, the regulators will work to ensure reasonable access to cash is maintained, including through use of shared services and local community initiatives, and anticipate additional powers to preserve access to cash from upcoming legislation announced in the U.K. Government’s 2020 budget.
 
View the PSR's statement on access to cash.
 
View the FCA's statement on access to cash.
 
Details of other regulatory responses to COVID-19 are available on our COVID-19 Research Center.

The EU Working Group on Risk-Free Rates has published its recommendation on voluntary compensation for swaptions affected by the CCP discounting transition from EONIA to €STR. The recommendation follows the Working Group’s March 2020 consultation on the topic. The Working Group recommends that counterparties exchange voluntary compensation for relevant legacy swaption contracts and that market participants contact their swaption counterparties promptly to determine whether compensation is required. 

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The European Banking Authority has launched a call for input to understand why financial institutions choose to “de-risk” (meaning they elect not to service a particular customer or category of customers on the basis of higher money laundering and terrorist financing risks) instead of managing the risks of working with those customers. Responses are sought from financial institutions and end users by September 11, 2020. The call for input will inform the EBA’s Opinion on the risks of money laundering and terrorist financing affecting the EU’s financial sector.
 
View the EBA's call for input.

The European Securities and Markets Authority has published its 2019 Annual Report together with an updated version of its 2020 Work Program, incorporating changes in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
ESMA’s 2019 Annual Report discusses ESMA’s work in 2019, which included: (a) the entry into force of EMIR 2.2, including significant new responsibilities for ESMA in the authorization and supervision of CCPs; (b) ESMA’s common supervisory action on the application of the revised Markets in Financial Instrument Directive’s requirements on the assessment of appropriateness, for which ESMA will consider whether any follow-up work is needed in 2020; (c) reviews of MiFID II and the Markets in Financial Instruments Regulation, including on fair access to, and lowering the cost of, market data and the consolidated tape; and (d) sustainable finance, including technical advice delivered to the European Commission on the integration of sustainability risks for investment firms and investment funds into relevant EU legislation, a report on undue short-termism in securities markets and contributions to the technical expert group on sustainable finance which is due to deliver technical advice on delegated legislation relating to the EU Benchmarks Regulation.

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HM Treasury has published the Sanctions (EU Exit) (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations and the Sanctions (EU Exit) (Miscellaneous Amendments) (No. 2) Regulations, amending certain aspects of the U.K. sanctions regime. The legislation is made under the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018, which was introduced to enable the U.K. Government to implement international sanctions following its departure from the EU. The majority of the SAMLA provisions entered into force on November 22, 2018.

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The European Commission has published a consultation on the establishment of an EU Green Bond Standard. The EU's GBS initiative forms part of the European Green Deal, which aims to increase the EU's climate action and environmental policy ambitions. The proposed GBS will establish standards and labels for green financial products and instruments. In June 2019, the EU Technical Expert Group on Sustainable Finance published a report on the proposed GBS, setting out ten recommendations for the substance of the GBS and for how market participants and regulators could support and monitor it. In March 2020, the TEG also published a Usability Guide to the GBS, setting out the TEG's views on its application, including confirming its view that the GBS should be voluntary. The TEG's March 2020 report also included a series of recommendations for the secondary legislation to be published in connection with the EU's proposed Taxonomy Regulation. The Commission and TEG recently published joint FAQs on the EU taxonomy and GBS.

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The FICC Markets Standards Board has published a Spotlight Review on case studies for navigating conduct risks during the LIBOR transition, which is due to be completed by the end of 2021. The Review will be of interest to all market participants, including sell-side, buy-side and corporates. It is intended to assist in the identification and management of conduct risks related to the LIBOR transition. The Review assesses risks to market fairness and effectiveness that could arise during the LIBOR transition and discusses how market participants could tackle these risks. Using practical case studies, the Review draws attention to how uncertainties might lead to decision-making challenges for market participants offering new products to clients or changing performance benchmarks.

The U.K. Financial Conduct Authority published a statement in November 2019 setting out its expectations of firms relating to governance and accountability, replacing LIBOR with alternative rates in existing contracts, offering new products with alternative rates, communicating with customers about the transition from LIBOR and best practice for firms investing on behalf of clients.

View the FMSB Spotlight Review on case studies for navigating LIBOR transition conduct risks.

View the FCA's statement on conduct risks.

The European Commission has published a draft delegated regulation on the fees charged by the European Securities and Markets Authority to central counterparties established in third-countries that are recognized by ESMA and able to provide clearing services in the EU. The draft regulation will supplement the European Market Infrastructure Regulation. EMIR was revised twice during 2019. The second revision (known as EMIR 2.2) introduced changes to the procedures and authorities involved in the authorization of CCPs and the requirements for the recognition of third-country CCPs. EMIR 2.2, is part of the EU’s push to enhance the regulation of CCPs amid concerns regarding potential CCP failures given their increasing systemic importance and is widely regarded as a direct response to Brexit, given that three of the largest European CCPs are based in the U.K. Feedback on the draft delegated regulation can be submitted until July 9, 2020.

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The European Securities and Markets Authority has published a statement on the open access provisions for exchange-traded derivatives under the Markets in Financial Instruments Regulation.

MiFIR requires a trading venue to provide open and non-discriminatory access to a CCP so that a CCP can clear trades in transferable securities, money market instruments and ETDs concluded on a trading venue of their choice, which will in turn allow the members of a trading venue to select the CCP they wish to use for clearing. There is a reciprocal requirement on CCPs to provide open and non-discriminatory access to a trading venue that wishes to clear financial instruments through a particular CCP. These provisions are controversial since they mean that valuable intellectual property and IT systems developed by exchanges effectively must be made available to competitors or new market entrants. It has been argued that the open access requirements make the EU unattractive as a location for exchange businesses due to the commercial disadvantages that result for those exchanges which have successfully invested in innovation.

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The European Commission has published two draft delegated regulations, the first is on the criteria for determining whether a third-country CCP is systemically important and the second is on the minimum elements to be assessed by the European Securities and Markets Authority when assessing third-country CCPs’ requests for comparable compliance and the modalities and conditions of that assessment. The draft regulations will supplement the European Market Infrastructure Regulation. EMIR was revised twice during 2019.  The second revision (known as EMIR 2.2) introduced changes to the procedures and authorities involved in the authorization of CCPs and the requirements for the recognition of third-country CCPs. “EMIR 2.2” is part of the EU’s push to enhance the regulation of CCPs amid concerns regarding potential CCP failures given their increasing systemic importance and is widely regarded as a direct response to Brexit, given that three of the largest European CCPs are based in the U.K. Feedback on the draft delegated regulations can be submitted until July 9, 2020.

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Following the discussion paper published on February 26, 2020, the Bank of England has announced that it will begin publishing a daily compounded Sterling Overnight Index. It is expected that this will start in early August, although the BoE will confirm the date in due course. The daily compounded index would represent the return on an investment earning daily interest at the SONIA rate; market participants could calculate the interest payable on their instruments by reference to the change in the index between two dates. The BoE has decided not to proceed with publishing the proposed SONIA period averages due to lack of industry consensus on the usefulness of such data and the underlying conventions. The BoE will consider producing this data if market participants are able to reach a more united view.

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The High Level Forum on the Capital Markets Union has published its final report setting out 17 recommendations aimed at moving the EU’s capital markets forward and completing the Capital Markets Union. The recommendations are grouped into four main clusters, which focus on: (i) creating a vibrant and competitive business environment; (ii) building stronger and more efficient market infrastructure; (iii) fostering retail investments in capital markets; and (iv) going beyond boundaries across the internal market.

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The European Commission has published Frequently Asked Questions on the EU taxonomy and Green Bond Standard. The EU taxonomy is a classification system that will create a common language for sustainable activities, to help determine whether an economic activity is environmentally sustainable. The Green Bond Standard establishes labels for financial products that are judged to be "green". The taxonomy and Standard are two products of the Commission's 2018 Action Plan on Financing Sustainable growth. 

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The Bank of England and U.K. Prudential Regulation Authority have publicly acknowledged the ESRB's Recommendation on the restriction of distributions during COVID-19. The ESRB recommends that EU financial institutions refrain from making dividend distributions, entering into buy-backs of ordinary shares or creating obligations to pay variable remuneration to material risk takers where those actions reduce the quantity or quality of own funds at the EU group level and sub-consolidated or individual level. The BoE and PRA note that the Recommendation applies to U.K. authorities during the Brexit transition period.

View the BoE and PRA's joint statement on the ESRB's Recommendation.

View details of the ESRB's Recommendation.

Details of other regulatory responses to COVID-19 are available on our COVID-19 Research Center.

The European Systemic Risk Board has announced a series of further actions designed to combat the impact of COVID-19 on European financial markets. The actions relate to the five priority areas already identified by the ESRB as requiring particular focus in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, as follows:

• Implications for the financial system of guarantee schemes and other fiscal measures to protect the economy: the ESRB has published a Recommendation introducing minimum requirements for national monitoring of the financial stability implications of the various debt moratoria and guarantee schemes introduced by Member States to support economies through COVID-19 (Recommendation A); national regulators are also advised to regularly report information on these schemes to the ESRB in accordance with reporting templates to be published by the ESRB by June 30, 2020 (Recommendation B); national regulators implicated by the Recommendation should communicate the actions they have taken, or intend to take, in response to the Recommendation A by July 31, 2020 and Recommendation B by December 31, 2020;

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The European Securities and Markets Authority has published final guidelines on the compliance function requirements that are set out in the revised Markets in Financial Instruments package. The final guidelines replace ESMA's 2012 guidelines issued under MiFID I.

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The U.K. Financial Conduct Authority has published guidance for banks on continuing to make branch access available for essential services. In considering reopening and operating branches, banks should balance the needs of their customers against the safety and welfare of their staff. Maintaining access to essential services for vulnerable customers, such as access to cash, telephone banking and in-person payments, should be a particular priority. Firms should also prioritize the reinstatement of access to cash and essential services in local areas which have lost access to bank branches as a result of the pandemic, and, where this is not possible, should ensure they communicate clearly with customers through websites and physical signs at branches to point them to alternatives, including Post Office services.
 
View the FCA's guidance on branch access during COVID-19.
 
Details of other regulatory responses to COVID-19 are available on our COVID-19 Research Center.

The U.K. Prudential Regulation Authority has published a “Dear CEO” letter providing further guidance on IFRS 9 and capital requirements in the context of COVID-19. The PRA published a “Dear CEO” letter in March 2020, advising firms on the application of certain key concepts (including the definition of "default" in the Capital Requirements Regulation and expected credit loss accounting under IFRS 9). This guidance related in large part to payment holidays, many of which are now coming to an end. The PRA’s latest guidance therefore focuses on exits from those initial payment deferrals. 

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The Bank of England has written to CEOs of U.K. financial market infrastructure providers, urging them to carefully consider the additional risks and potential financial and operational demands of COVID-19 when determining shareholder distributions or variable remuneration. U.K. FMI providers are expected to discuss any intended shareholder distributions with the Bank of England.
 
View the BoE's Dear CEO letter to FMIs.
 
Details of other regulatory responses to COVID-19 are available on our COVID-19 Research Center.

The European Banking Authority has opened a consultation on proposed Regulatory Technical Standards on capital requirements of non-modellable risks under the Fundamental Review of the Trading Book. The Regulation amending CRR, which was finalized in June 2019, implements, among other things, the Basel III revised requirements to calculate own funds requirements for market risk (FRTB). It will apply directly across the EU from June 28, 2021. The consultation closes on September 4, 2020.

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The U.K. Financial Conduct Authority’s Executive Director of Supervision for Investment, Wholesale and Specialists, Megan Butler, has given a speech setting out the FCA’s current priorities, its expectations of firms during the COVID-19 pandemic and the outcomes it is focusing on for the wealth management sector, as well as the future priorities for financial regulation.
 
The FCA initially prioritized immediate relief for firms and consumers, including on mortgages and unsecured lending products, at the outset of the COVID-19 crisis, but is now looking at how it will respond to the challenges of COVID-19 on a more long-term basis. This longer-term approach includes ensuring a good level of operational resilience (in line with the FCA’s ongoing consultation on that topic), that markets can continue to function well, that customers are treated fairly and protected from scams and that the FCA understands firms’ financial resilience so that they can fail in an orderly manner. 

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