ESMA Withdraws Outdated MiFID II, MAR and Short-Selling Q&As

The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has withdrawn or amended several Questions and Answers on market structure under the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive II (MiFID II), the Market Abuse Regulation (MAR) and the Short Selling Regulation (SSR). The changes form part of ESMA’s Simplification and Burden Reduction initiative. ESMA reviewed Q&As that had become outdated following legislative amendments and the development of established market practices, or that duplicated guidance published elsewhere. In some cases, the same issues are already addressed in ESMA supervisory briefings or opinions. The initiative aims to remove obsolete guidance and reduce unnecessary complexity while keeping the remaining Q&As relevant, proportionate and consistent with the current legislative framework. ESMA has encouraged stakeholders to consult the updated Q&As alongside its other guidance when interpreting the applicable rules.