European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA)
The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) was founded with effect from 01.01.2011 by means of Regulation (EU) No 1095/2010 of the European Parliament and of the Council as the successor organisation to the Committee of European Securities Regulators (CESR) and is part of the European System of Financial Supervision (ESFS).
ESMA’s primary aims are to improve investor protection as well as to ensure the integrity, transparency and efficient functioning of the securities markets. Additional important fields of activity include – in addition to the drafting of Technical Standards, Guidelines and opinions – the promotion of supervisory convergence, the creation of a Single Rulebook and direct supervision.
ESMA has competences in the operational supervision of credit rating agencies (CRAs) and trade repositories (TRs) as well as the corresponding supervisory measures and sanctioning Options.