European Union: Finance and Banking

Former Sheppard associate Sarah Ben-Moussa shares her journey from practicing M&A law in New York to building a renewable energy legal career in Paris. She discusses navigating the French visa system, the practical differences between U.S. and French legal practice, and the personal challenges of relocating abroad while leveraging American legal training in cross-border transactions.

Riżorsi Agrikoli Malta (“RAM”) has launched a pre-qualification process for the award of a major concession concerning the development and operation of a National Farm Waste Treatment Facility.

Private debt financing requires more than a strong project—it demands precise, credible documentation that answers fund analysts' critical questions upfront. This analysis examines how professional Information Memoranda, strategic fund identification, and transparent risk presentation determine whether well-conceived real estate, renewable energy, and growth ventures secure capital or lose their only opportunity to make a first impression.

Malta's financial services sector has evolved into a sophisticated ecosystem, but what truly distinguishes it from other jurisdictions? The Malta Financial Services Authority's strategic approach to regulation...

A proposed bill of law seeks to modernize Luxembourg's securitization framework by expanding financing options beyond traditional instruments, introducing cross-compartment investment mechanisms, and extending active portfolio management capabilities to include equity positions. The reforms aim to enhance legal certainty around asset ring-fencing in insolvency scenarios while aligning the regime with contemporary market practices, particularly for Islamic finance structures and multi-compartment vehicles.

Luxembourg is modernizing its securitisation framework through two key legislative reforms: the Draft Securitisation Bill and the Deferred Capital Law. These amendments expand financing options for securitisation vehicles, permit active management of broader asset classes in private transactions, and allow deferred payment of share capital for SARLs, potentially reducing incorporation timelines from months to days.

ESMA's revised weekly commodity derivatives reporting arrangements went live on 3 September 2026, introducing updated technical requirements, validation rules and XML schema version 2.0. Businesses trading energy or other commodity derivatives must understand their specific reporting role, verify that correct information reaches the appropriate reporting party, and ensure their systems properly handle the new technical framework. Cyprus investment firms, energy traders and groups using commodity derivatives

Capital Markets are often surrounded by misconceptions and technical jargon, yet they play a central role in how businesses grow and economies develop.

Ireland's Department of Finance has unveiled its renewed "Ireland for Finance" strategy, positioning the country as a key player in the EU's Savings and Investments Union while charting an ambitious course for its €5.6 trillion funds and asset management sector through 2030.

WH Partners has submitted formal feedback to the Malta Financial Services Authority on its consultation document proposing new Rules for Notified Aircraft Financial Leasing Companies and Related Due Diligence Service Providers. The submission addresses key areas including eligibility thresholds, scope and interaction with other licences, AML obligations, and removal from the list and restructurings.

FinanceMalta's third quarterly newsletter for 2026 explores the jurisdiction's strategic initiatives to strengthen its position in global financial services markets, including plans for a New York event and the development of specialized frameworks for aviation finance. The publication examines Malta's evolving regulatory landscape, tax incentive frameworks, and preparations for the upcoming annual conference themed "Financing the Next Generation Economy."

A high-value vehicle lease can look straightforward until the leasing company fails. Then the business using the vehicle may find itself caught between an insolvent supplier and the bank that funded the deal. A recent dispute involving a Mercedes-Benz G 63 AMG shows why the fine print matters.