ESMA to recognise the UK Central Securities Depository in the event of a no-deal Brexit

01 March 2019

ESMA announced that, in the event of a no-deal Brexit, the Central Securities Depository established in the United Kingdom – Euroclear UK and Ireland Limited – will be recognised as a third country CSD to provide its services in the European Union.

ESMA has adopted this recognition decision in order to allow the UK CSD to serve Irish securities and to avoid any negative impact on the Irish securities market. ESMA has previously communicated that its Board of Supervisors supports continued access to the UK CSD.

Having assessed the application and the information submitted by the UK CSD, and consulted the relevant authorities in accordance with the Central Securities Depositories Regulation (CSDR), ESMA considers that the conditions for recognition under Articles 25 of CSDR are met by the UK CSD in case of a no-deal Brexit. Therefore, it has adopted a decision to recognise the UK CSD as a third-country CSD under the CSDR.

The recognition decision would take effect on the date following Brexit date, under a no-deal Brexit scenario.

Full press release

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