On 6 November, 2018, ESMA published on its website the official translations of its revised Guidelines on aspects of the suitability requirements under the revised Markets in Financial Instruments Directive.

ESMA published the finalized Guidelines in May 2018, following a consultation between July and December 2017. The finalized Guidelines largely confirm ESMA's previous 2012 Guidelines on MiFID I, but have a broader scope and ESMA has added clarifications and refinements where necessary.

Now that the Guidelines have been translated into the official EU languages and published on ESMA's website, national regulators will have a two-month period (expiring on January 6, 2019) in which to notify ESMA whether they comply or intend to comply with the guidelines. National regulators should state their reasons for non-compliance where they do not comply or do not intend to comply.

The Guidelines will take effect from March 7, 2019, replacing the 2012 Guidelines.

The revised Guidelines are available at: https://www.esma.europa.eu/sites/default/files/library/esma35-43-1163_guidelines_on_certain_aspects_of_mifid_ii_suitability_requirements_0.pdf, details of the revised Guidelines are available at: https://finreg.shearman.com/european-securities-and-markets-authority-iss.

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