European Union: Finance and Banking

In its first quarter 2026 report, Malta has once again achieved a high ranking, being placed first in Europe and second globally on the Cape Town Convention (CTC) Compliance Index. With a score of 95 out of 100...

Explore the key aviation financing and leasing trends shaping 2026, including consolidation, ABS resurgence, alternative capital and the role of Ireland and the Cayman Islands.

The Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) has issued a Public Consultation proposing the establishment of a dedicated regulatory framework for aircraft financial leasing companies.

On 8 June 2026, draft law No. 8761 amending the amended law of 22 March 2004 on securitisation (the “Securitisation Law”) (the “Draft Law”) was submitted to the Luxembourg Parliament

Die Reform des europäischen Verbriefungsmarktes enthält richtige Ansätze, doch die erwartbaren Änderungen an den Verordnungen sind zu zaghaft. Mit dem Eintritt in das Trilog-Verfahren zwischen Kommission, Rat und Europäischem Parlament erreicht die Reform des europäischen Verbriefungsrechts ihre entscheidende Phase.

Ireland's EU Council Presidency from July to December 2026 will focus on advancing critical financial services legislation affecting the Irish funds industry. Key priorities include finalizing the Markets Integration and Supervision Package, negotiating SFDR 2.0 reforms, and reforming the EU securitisation framework, with significant implications for fund management companies and their operational frameworks.

From 11 January 2027, non-EU banks and significant investment firms must establish licensed branches in each EU Member State where they provide core banking services, or operate through authorized EU entities. Ireland has implemented CRD VI's Article 21c requirements through faithful transposition, introducing a third-country branch regime that affects cross-border lending involving Irish companies, with important exemptions including reverse solicitation that may enable continued market participation.

Explore a comprehensive collection of financial sector publications covering banking, capital markets, pensions, insurance, taxation, funds, asset management, and private wealth management. Access annual reports, benchmarking studies, and industry analyses from Malta's financial services sector spanning 2023-2026.

The European Single Access Point (ESAP) Regulation introduces new procedural obligations for issuers of securities in Ireland, requiring parallel submission of prospectus, transparency, and market abuse information...

The EU Market Integration and Supervision Package represents a comprehensive overhaul of European financial services regulation, amending 19 separate pieces of legislation including MiFIR, MiFID II, EMIR, and MiCAR. Born from the 2024 Draghi Report and 2025 Competitiveness Compass, this sweeping reform seeks to address regulatory fragmentation across Member States while fostering deeper capital market integration and broader retail investor participation.

The European Union's EMIR 3.0 framework introduces significant changes to counterparty risk management and central clearing requirements. How will these amendments to the UCITS Directive, CRD IV, and Investment Firms Directive reshape derivative transaction risk limits and CCP concentration risk monitoring? What specific obligations now face credit institutions, investment firms, and competent authorities under this new regulatory regime?

Malta's financial regulator discusses the evolving landscape of capital markets, examining how digitalization and changing investor behaviors are reshaping the relationship between retail investors, institutional markets, and regulatory oversight.