Preamble

Whereas:

1. (1)

   Rules should be laid down specifying the information to be provided to the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) as part of an application for registration as a trade repository.

2. (2)

   Any person applying for registration as a trade repository should provide information on the structure of its internal controls and the independence of its governing bodies, in order to enable ESMA to assess whether the corporate governance structure ensures the independence of the trade repository and whether that structure and its reporting routines are adequate.

3. (3)

   ESMA, as established by Regulation (EU) No 1095/2010 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 November 2010 establishing a European Supervisory Authority (European Securities and Markets Authority), is responsible for the registration and supervision of trade repositories under Title VI of Regulation (EU) No 648/2012. For the purpose of enabling ESMA to assess the good repute, as well as the experience and skills of the prospective trade repository senior management, an applicant trade repository should provide the relevant information to perform such an assessment.

4. (4)

   The applicant trade repository should provide information to ESMA to demonstrate that it has the necessary financial resources at its disposal for the performance of its functions on an on-going basis and adequate business continuity arrangements.

5. (5)

   Although when a trade repository operates through branches, these are not separate legal persons, separate information on branches should be provided in order to enable ESMA to clearly identify the position of the branches in the organisational structure of the trade repository, assess the fitness for duty and appropriateness of the senior management of the branches, and evaluate whether the control mechanisms, compliance and other functions in place are considered to be robust and enough to identify, evaluate and manage the branches' risks in an appropriate manner.

6. (6)

   It is important for an applicant to provide ESMA with information on ancillary services, or other business lines that the trade repository offers outside its core activity of derivatives reporting, particularly as regards its central core activity of regulatory reporting.

7. (7)

   In order for ESMA to assess the continuity and orderly function of an applicant trade repository's technological systems, that applicant should provide ESMA with descriptions of those relevant technological systems and how they are managed. The applicant should also describe any outsourcing arrangements that are relevant for its services.

8. (8)

   The fees associated with the services provided by trade repositories are important information for enabling market participants to make an informed choice and should therefore form part of the application for registration as trade repository.

9. (9)

   Given that market participants and regulators rely on the data maintained by trade repositories, strict operational and record-keeping requirements should be clearly distinguishable in a trade repository's application for registration.

10. (10)

    The risk management models associated with the services provided by a trade repository are a necessary item in its application for registration so as to enable market participants to make an informed choice.

11. (11)

    In order to secure full access to the trade repository, third party service providers are granted non-discriminatory access to information maintained by the trade repository, on the condition that the entity providing the data and the relevant counterparties have provided their consent. An applicant trade repository should therefore provide ESMA with information about its access policies and procedures.

12. (12)

    In order to carry out its authorisation duties effectively, ESMA should receive all information from trade repositories, related third parties and third parties to whom the trade repositories have outsourced operational functions and activities. Such information is necessary to assess or complete the assessment of the application for registration and the documentation therein.

13. (13)

    This Regulation is based on the draft regulatory technical standards submitted by ESMA to the Commission.

14. (14)

    In accordance with Article 10 of Regulation (EU) No 1095/2010, ESMA has conducted open public consultations on the draft regulatory technical standards, analysed the potential related costs and benefits and requested the opinion of the ESMA Securities and Markets Stakeholder Group established in accordance with Article 37 of that Regulation,