[author: Heidi Wardle]

On March 29, the European Sescurities and Markets Authority (ESMA) published a report setting out final guidelines on how national competent authorities (NCAs) should review risk factors as required by the new Prospectus Regulation. The aim of the guidelines is to encourage more appropriate, focussed and streamlined risk factor disclosures for securities and are intended to assist NCAs in their review of disclosure. ESMA noted that in 2019 it will focus on the consistency of application of the guidelines on risk factors by NCAs.

The purpose of including risk factors in a prospectus is to help investors make informed investment decisions by enabling them to assess the risks. Risk factors generally include information concerning: the issuer’s financial situation, business activities and industry; the nature of the security; external risks such as legal and regulatory, environmental, social and governance.

A copy of the report can be found here.