[author: Emily Yung]

On May 5, 2017, the European Money Markets Institute (“EMMI“) published a report on the outcome of the Euro Interbank Offered Rate (“EURIBOR“) pre-live verification (“PLV“) program.

The PLV program has given EMMI an in-depth view of the market underpinning EURIBOR. It confirmed that market activity has changed as a result of current regulatory requirements, other sources of liquidity available to market participants, and other external factors. In this context, EMMI concluded that:

• The rate and volatility levels under both methodologies (that is, current quote-based vs. fully transaction-based) are insufficiently similar for a seamless transition to be feasible under current market conditions.
• The decreased level of daily market activity under current market conditions does not allow for a methodology that is fully based on transactions, as this would not yield a sufficiently sound and robust benchmark.

In its FAQs published alongside the report, EMMI stressed that there will be no immediate changes to the EURIBOR methodology and that the current quote-based EURIBOR will continue for the period necessary to develop an alternative methodology. EMMI stated that it remains committed to align the EURIBOR benchmark with the EU Benchmarks Regulation ((EU) 2016/1011). Accordingly, it will work on a hybrid methodology (that is, a model that is supported by transactions whenever available and relies on other pricing sources when necessary).