Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID) II

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The European Commission has been developing regulations to increase transparency and to harmonize regulatory disclosures across European financial markets since 2004. The first part of the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID) was drafted and passed for implementation in 2006.

In view of the direct impacts of the global financial crisis in 2008, European member states decided to extend the current regulatory framework, resulting in the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive 2014/65/EU (“MiFID II"). Its aim is to enhance financial stability and investor protection while improving market efficiency and competition. MiFID II was approved by the European Parliament in 2014 and entered into force on January 3, 2018.

MiFID II is designed to:

  • Increase investor protection
  • Enhance market structures and market transparency 
  • Strengthen corporate governance and internal control frameworks
  • Enforce specific rules governing algorithmic and high-frequency trading