EU’s regulator for securities markets (ESMA) and Australia’s regulator ASIC have announced earlier today that they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) setting out cooperation arrangements in respect of Australian benchmarks.
The EU Benchmarks Regulation (BMR) prescribes a European common framework to ensure the integrity and accuracy of benchmarks used in the EU.
Earlier this year, the European Commission recognised Australia’s legal and supervisory framework applicable to the administrators of certain financial benchmarks as equivalent to the corresponding requirements under the BMR. This decision will allow benchmarks declared significant by ASIC (BBSW, S&P/ASX200, Bond Futures Settlement Price, CPI, and Cash Rate) to be used in the EU by EU-supervised entities.
James Shipton
Commenting on the MoU, James Shipton said:
Enhancing and improving regulatory cooperation with our international counterparts is a priority for ASIC. We are very pleased to announce this agreement and look forward to our cooperation with ESMA in the future.
Benchmarks play a vital role in cross-border financial transactions and international regulators need to work together to ensure their integrity and accuracy.
When we provide mutual assistance to each other and exchange views and information, this helps ASIC to achieve its vision for a fair, strong and efficient financial system for all Australians.
Steven Maijoor, ESMA Chair Source: esma.europa.eu
Steven Maijoor, ESMA Chair, commented:
The use of financial benchmarks in global capital markets is important for market participants and their accuracy and reliability needs to be ensured at all times. In order to help regulators achieving these objectives, I am pleased that the ESMA-ASIC Memorandum of Understanding will support European regulators and ASIC to work together on a sound legal basis.