Updated 07/09/2024
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Article 18 - Early intervention measures

Article 18

Early intervention measures

1.   Where a CCP infringes, or is likely to infringe in the near future, the capital and prudential requirements of Regulation (EU) No 648/2012, or poses a risk to financial stability in the Union or in one or more of its Member States, or where the competent authority has determined that there are other indications of an emerging crisis situation that could affect the operations of the CCP, in particular, its ability to provide clearing services, the competent authority may:

(a)

require the CCP to update the recovery plan in accordance with Article 9(6) of this Regulation, where the circumstances that required early intervention are different from the assumptions set out in the initial recovery plan;

(b)

require the CCP to implement one or more of the arrangements or measures set out in the recovery plan within a specific timeframe. Where the plan is updated pursuant to point (a), those arrangements or measures shall include any updated arrangements or measures;

(c)

require the CCP to identify the causes of the infringement or likely infringement as mentioned in paragraph 1 and draw up an action programme, including suitable measures and timeframes;

(d)

require the CCP to convene a meeting of its shareholders or, if the CCP fails to comply with that requirement, convene the meeting itself. In both cases the competent authority shall set the agenda, including the decisions to be considered for adoption by the shareholders;

(e)

require one or more members of the board or senior management to be removed or replaced where any of those persons is found unfit to perform their duties pursuant to Article 27 of Regulation (EU) No 648/2012;

(f)

require changes to the business strategy of the CCP;

(g)

require changes to the legal or operational structures of the CCP;

(h)

provide the resolution authority with all the information necessary to update the CCP’s resolution plan in order to prepare for the possible resolution of the CCP and the valuation of its assets and liabilities in accordance with Article 24 of this Regulation, including any information acquired through on-site inspections;

(i)

require, where necessary and in accordance with paragraph 4, the implementation of the CCP’s recovery measures;

(j)

require the CCP to abstain from the implementation of certain recovery measures where the competent authority has determined that the implementation of those measures may have an adverse effect on financial stability in the Union or in one or more of its Member States;

(k)

require the CCP to replenish its financial resources in a timely manner in order to comply or maintain compliance with its capital and prudential requirements;

(l)

require the CCP to instruct clearing members to invite their clients to participate directly in auctions organised by the CCP when the nature of the auction justifies this exceptional participation. Clearing members shall inform their clients comprehensively about the auction following the instructions received from the CCP. In particular, the CCP shall specify the deadline after which it will not be possible to participate in the auction. Clients shall directly inform the CCP before this deadline of their willingness to participate in the auction. The CCP shall then facilitate the bidding process for those clients. A client shall only be authorised to participate in the auction if it is able to demonstrate to the CCP that it has set up the appropriate contractual relationship with a clearing member to execute and clear the transactions that may result from the auction;

(m)

restrict or prohibit any remuneration of equity and instruments treated as equity to the fullest extent possible without triggering an event of default, including dividend payments and buybacks by the CCP, and it may restrict, prohibit or freeze any payments of variable remuneration as defined by the CCP’s remuneration policy pursuant to Article 26(5) of Regulation (EU) No 648/2012, discretionary pension benefits or severance packages to senior management as defined in point 29 of Article 2 of Regulation (EU) No 648/2012.

2.   For each of the measures referred to in paragraph 1, the competent authority shall set an appropriate deadline and evaluate the effectiveness of those measures once they have been taken.

3.   The competent authority shall only apply the measures in points (a) to (m) of paragraph 1 after taking account of the impact of those measures in other Member States where the CCP operates or provides services and after informing the relevant competent authorities, in particular where the CCP’s operations are critical or important for local financial markets, including the places in which clearing members, linked trading venues and FMIs are established.

4.   The competent authority shall apply the measure in point (i) of paragraph 1 only where that measure is in the public interest and is necessary to achieve any of the following objectives:

(a)

to maintain the financial stability in the Union or in one or more of its Member States;

(b)

to maintain the continuity of the critical functions of the CCP and access to critical functions on a transparent and non-discriminatory basis;

(c)

to maintain or restore the financial resilience of the CCP.

The competent authority shall not apply the measure in point (i) of paragraph 1 in relation to measures involving the transfer of property, rights or liabilities of another CCP.

5.   Where a CCP uses contributions to the default fund of the non-defaulting clearing members in accordance with Article 45(3) of Regulation (EU) No 648/2012, it shall inform the competent authority and the resolution authority without undue delay and explain whether that event reflects weaknesses or problems of that CCP.

6.   Where the conditions referred to in paragraph 1 are met, the competent authority shall notify ESMA and the resolution authority and consult the supervisory college on the envisaged measures provided for in paragraph 1.

Following those notifications and the consultation of the supervisory college, the competent authority shall decide whether to apply any of the measures provided for in paragraph 1. The competent authority shall notify the decision on the measures to be taken to the supervisory college, the resolution authority and ESMA.

7.   The resolution authority, following the notification of the first subparagraph of paragraph 6 of this Article, may require the CCP to contact potential purchasers in order to prepare for its resolution, subject to the conditions laid down in Article 41 and the confidentiality provisions laid down in Article 73.

8.   ESMA shall, by 12 February 2022, issue guidelines in accordance with Article 16 of Regulation (EU) No 1095/2010 to promote the consistent application of the triggers for the use of the measures referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article.