Article 42
Recognition of a third-country external reviewer
1.
Until the adoption of a decision pursuant to Article 40(1), a third-country external reviewer may provide its services in accordance with this Regulation provided that the third-country external reviewer acquires recognition from ESMA in accordance with this Article.
2.
A third-country external reviewer who intends to obtain recognition as referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article (the ‘third-country external reviewer seeking recognition’) shall comply with the requirements laid down in Articles 23 to 38 and Articles 54 to 56.
3.
A third-country external reviewer seeking recognition shall have a legal representative established in the Union. That legal representative shall:
(a)
be responsible, together with the third-country external reviewer seeking recognition, for ensuring that the provision of services under this Regulation by the third-country external reviewer seeking recognition fulfils the requirements referred to in paragraph 2 and shall in that respect be accountable to ESMA for the conduct of the third-country external reviewer seeking recognition in the Union;
(b)
act on behalf of the third-country external reviewer seeking recognition as the main point of contact with ESMA and any other person in the Union with regard to the external reviewer’s obligations under this Regulation; and
(c)
have sufficient knowledge, expertise and resources to fulfil its obligations under this paragraph.
4.
An application for recognition from ESMA as referred to in paragraph 1 shall contain all information necessary to satisfy ESMA that the third-country external reviewer seeking recognition has implemented all necessary arrangements to fulfil the requirements referred to in paragraphs 2 and 3 and shall, where applicable, indicate the competent authority responsible for supervision of the third-country external reviewer seeking recognition in the third country.
5.
Within 30 working days of receipt of an application for recognition, ESMA shall assess whether the application is complete.
Where the application is not complete, ESMA shall notify the third-country external reviewer seeking recognition thereof and shall set a deadline by which the third-country external reviewer seeking recognition is to provide additional information.
Where the application is complete, ESMA shall notify the third-country external reviewer seeking recognition thereof.
6.
Within 45 working days of receipt of a complete application for recognition, ESMA shall verify that the requirements laid down in paragraphs 2 and 3 are fulfilled.
ESMA may extend the period referred to in the first subparagraph of this paragraph by 15 working days where the third-country external reviewer seeking recognition intends to outsource certain external review activities.
7.
ESMA shall notify the third-country external reviewer seeking recognition in writing of its decision to recognise or to refuse to recognise the third-country external reviewer seeking recognition as a third-country external reviewer. A decision to recognise or to refuse to recognise a third-country external reviewer seeking recognition shall provide reasons and shall take effect on the fifth working day after its adoption.
8.
ESMA shall suspend or, where appropriate, withdraw the recognition granted in accordance with paragraph 7 where it has well-founded reasons, based on documentary evidence, to consider that the third-country external reviewer is acting in a manner which is prejudicial to the interests of users of its services or the orderly functioning of markets, or has seriously infringed this Regulation, or that the third-country external reviewer made false statements or used any other irregular means to obtain recognition.
9.
ESMA shall develop draft regulatory technical standards specifying the information and the form and content of the application referred to in paragraph 4.
ESMA shall submit those draft regulatory technical standards to the Commission by 21 December 2025.
Power is delegated to the Commission to supplement this Regulation by adopting the regulatory technical standards referred to in the first subparagraph of this paragraph in accordance with Articles 10 to 14 of Regulation (EU) No 1095/2010.