ECON Committee workshop: Securities Law Directive (SLD) - what's in a securities account?

13 September 2011

The workshop, organised in June 2011, aimed to prepare for the upcoming discussion on the expected Commission proposal for a Securities Law Directive. The paper includes a basic overview on (intermediated) securities holding systems.

The briefing provides the legal background understanding in respect of securities which are held through banks and other intermediaries necessary to access the highly complex area of cross-border securities law which is in between commercial, insolvency and property law.

It also describes adjacent legislation and neighbouring international initiatives. As the relevant laws are heavily fragmented, the holding and transfer of such securities as well as the exercise of investor rights is cumbersome and sometimes legally uncertain. Lastly, the main mechanisms of the envisaged legislation are presented.

Throughout the text, a number of crucial issues are explained that had been discussed controversially in the past.

Full report

Briefing paper


© European Parliament