A new edition of the Regulatory Initiatives Grid, which sets out details of current and planned regulatory initiatives for all the regulators affecting the financial services sector, has been published. It includes details of...more
4/17/2025
/ Climate Change ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Popular ,
Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Sustainability ,
UK
Outcomes testing and monitoring under the Consumer Duty, and senior management engagement with these areas, remain key focus areas for the FCA. Whilst the review in question focuses specifically on the treatment of customers...more
The PRA has published its Business Plan for 2025/26, setting out the workplan for each of its strategic priorities and strategy to advance its primary and secondary objectives. The PRA comments that, alongside its continual...more
The European Parliament has published draft report on reform to, and creation of, a Capital Markets Union (“CMU”). The European Commission has also a strategy for a savings and investments union (“SIU”), which seeks to offer...more
The EU has adopted a regulation amending the EU Benchmarks Regulation. The amendments relate primarily to: reducing the population of benchmarks within scope of the Benchmarks Regulation; introducing a new spot FX-related...more
The Single Rulebook is intended to be a single source of AML/CTF regulation that will be applied uniformly in all member states across the EU. This will be achieved primarily through the new AML Regulation, which will be...more
4/15/2025
/ AML/CFT ,
Anti-Money Laundering ,
Beneficial Owner ,
Cryptocurrency ,
EU ,
Financial Crimes ,
Financial Institutions ,
Money Laundering ,
New Regulations ,
Popular ,
Regulatory Reform
Motor finance, mortgage rule review work and Consumer Duty feature prominently in the work plans for this strategic priority. Firms should note that the FCA includes a warning in relation to the Duty that, where necessary, it...more
4/14/2025
/ Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) ,
Consumer Financial Products ,
Consumer Protection Laws ,
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) ,
Financial Regulatory Reform ,
FinTech ,
Mortgages ,
Open Banking ,
Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) ,
Regulatory Reform ,
UK
The government has published a policy paper containing an Action Plan for “A new approach to ensure regulators and regulation support growth”. The Action Plan shows a shift in approach towards regulation (including, but not...more
The FCA has published a Strategy Paper, outlining its strategy for the next five years. The FCA says it will focus on four priorities: (i) being a smarter regulator; (ii) supporting sustained economic growth; (iii) helping...more
The government has published a policy paper containing an Action Plan for “A new approach to ensure regulators and regulation support growth”. The Action Plan shows a shift in approach towards regulation (including, but not...more
The Bank of England has outlined its priorities for 2025 in the regulation of Financial Market Infrastructure. In a speech given on 10 February 2024, the Bank of England (the “Bank”) outlined its priorities for 2025 in the...more
On 29 January 2025, the EU Commission published a Competitiveness Compass for the EU. President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, announced that Europe must fix its weaknesses (alluding the a persistent gap in...more
As we enter into 2025, we look back to ESG regulatory developments in December 2024 and reflect on the expected legislation for the coming year. We anticipate more regulatory initiatives in 2025, particularly in the UK. In...more
In November 2024, the Bank of England published an Approach Document setting out its approach to the supervision of financial market infrastructures (“FMIs”) – specifically of central counterparties (“CCPs”), central...more
The Bank of England (the “Bank”) has published a Consultation Paper proposing a set of Fundamental Rules for UK financial market infrastructures (“FMIs”) – such as central counterparties and central securities depositories. ...more
In November, we got a tantalizing glimpse into what the future looks like for sustainable finance in the UK in the annual Mansion House speech. We highlight some of the key ESG regulatory announcements below. November also...more
On 14 November 2024, the UK government published its consultation response and draft legislation proposals to regulate ESG ratings providers. Entities providing ESG ratings (however named) which are likely to influence...more
On 14 November 2024, the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, set out a number of significant developments in connection with sustainable finance in her Mansion House speech and in related publications. We saw the long awaited...more
On 26 November 2024, the FCA published a number of communications relating to its approach to developing the future cryptoassets regime for the UK, including a roadmap for the development and introduction of the UK’s...more
At her inaugural Mansion House speech on 14 November 2024, the Chancellor of the Exchequer outlined a number of key policy initiatives for the UK financial services sector. This note sets out the main initiatives, which...more
October was a busy month. COP 16 on Biodiversity was held at the end of the month, the UK Autumn Budget was heard on 30 October 2024, and the UK focused Transition Finance Market Review was published. All this has been...more
This month, amidst the Labour party conference in the UK, we have seen a number of policy initiatives communicated via speeches and followed up with official government announcements, for example announcing the upcoming...more
Although we might have expected a complete lull over the Summer, there has still been activity in the ESG regulatory world. In the UK, we have seen a continuation of the work on the sustainable disclosure requirements regime...more
The recent Court of Appeal decision in KVB Consultants Ltd and others v Jacob Hopkins McKenzie Ltd and others [2024] EWCA Civ 765 (9 July 2024) has important implications for any regulated firm that acts as principal to an...more
The UK General Election on 4 July 2024 resulted in a change of government in the UK. This has meant that the usual summer slowdown has been replaced with a flurry of activity as new ministers pick up portfolios and start to...more