Through the Circular, CySEC informs the Cypriot Investment Firms (“CIFs”) regarding their obligations emanating under Articles 35 and 36 of Law 87(I)/2017 (“the Law”), which transposes Directive 2014/65/EU (“MiFID II”) into Cyprus national legislation and which will enter into force from 03.01.18 onwards, in relation to Passporting Issues and the establishment of a Branch. The...Read More

Summary of ESMA Guidelines on MiFID II product governance requirements (CySEC Circular C261 – 30.03.2018) Through Circular C261, the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (“CySEC”) wishes to inform CIFs that the ESMA Guidelines on MiFID II product governance requirements have been adopted by CySEC and therefore they should make every effort to comply with these...Read More

The Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (“CySEC”) issued on 28th March 2018 an Announcement drawing the attention of the Cyprus Investment Firms (“CIFs”) to the ESMA Press Release in relation to the product intervention measures on Contracts For Differences (CFDs) and Binary Options, issued by the European Securities and Markets Authority (“ESMA”) on 27 March...Read More

Through the Circular, CySEC informs the Regulated Entities regarding their legal obligation to identify, maintain and report information to the Cyprus Tax Department, in accordance with the CRS decree 161/2016 (“CRS Decree”), which came into force on 01.01.16. The CRS Decree imposes obligations on Cyprus Financial Institutions to identify, maintain and report information about individuals...Read More

Through the Circular, CySEC informs the Regulated Entities regarding the a supplementary data collection launched by the EBA on 06.07.17, which is aimed at supporting the response to the EU Commission’s Call for Advice on the new prudential framework for investment firms. This exercise follows up on the first data collection launched on 15.07.16 and...Read More

Through the Circular, CySEC follows-up on Circular C202 published on 12.04.17 and hereby draws the attention of the Cyprus Investment Firms (“the CIFs”) which provide investment services to Retail Clients, relating to: financial Contracts for Difference (CFDs); and other complex and speculative products (i.e. Binary Options and Foreign Exchange Contracts); through a branch or cross...Read More

Through the Circular, CySEC informs the Cypriot Investment Firms (“CIFs”) that Circular C081 issued on 28.07.15 regarding the threshold criteria of “significant CIF”, is repealed and replaced with the present Circular. Through the present Circular, CySEC redefines the thresholds that a CIF can use to objectively determine whether it is a “significant CIF” and the...Read More

Through the Circular, CySEC informs the Cypriot Investment Firms (“CIFs”) and the Regulated Markets – Market Operators that the European Securities and Markets Authority (“ESMA”) published on, 27.07.17, Guidelines (the “Guidelines”), with ref. no. ESMA70-872942901-63, on the calibration of circuit breakers and publication of trading halts under MiFID II – Directive 2014/65/EU (the “Directive”). The...Read More

Through the Circular, CySEC informs the Cypriot Investment Firms (“CIFs”) that the European Banking Authority (the “EBA”), the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (the “EIOPA”) and the European Securities and Markets Authority (the “ESMA” and, together with EBA and EIOPA collectively referred to as the “ESAs”) published on 20.12.16 the Joint Guidelines (the “Guidelines”),...Read More

Through the Circular, CySEC provides the Cypriot Investment Firms (“CIFs”) with clarifications regarding the capital instruments that can be qualified as Common Equity Tier I (“CET 1”). Particularly: According to Article 28(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) No. 575/2013 on prudential requirements for credit institutions and investment firms (“the CRR”), capital instruments shall qualify as CET 1...Read More