The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), the EU’s financial markets regulator and supervisor, has today published its latest edition of the Spotlight on Markets Newsletter.

Your one-stop-shop in the world of EU financial markets focused in October on the preparations for a smooth transition to the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) and the expectations from entities providing cryptos and from national authorities. ESMA Chair, Verena Ross, called on Member States to designate without delay the competent authorities responsible for carrying out the functions and duties provided for under MiCA, and to consider limiting the optional grand-fathering period to 12-months should they choose to offer it in their jurisdictions.

In addition, ESMA, together with the European Banking Authority, published a Consultation Paper on two sets of joint guidelines under MiCA.

ESMA released several articles and studies:

exploring the use of language related to environmental, social and governance factors in EU investment fund names and documentation;
on the European sustainable debt market, analysing the existence of an ESG pricing effect (‘the Greenium’) across different types of sustainable-labelled debt instruments;
on market developments in decentralised finance and the smart contracts system;
on natural gas future markets; and
of EEA share market structure since the application of MiFID II.