On 25 April 2025, the sustainability reporting board (“SRB”) of the European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (“EFRAG”), agreed the internal timeline for delivering advice to the European Commission on the simplification of the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (“ESRS”), which is at the centre of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive’s

John Verwey
John Verwey is a partner in the Private Funds Group. John advises on a wide number of regulatory issues at a national UK and European level, including firm authorisations, appointed representative arrangements, change in control, market abuse. He represents a variety of clients that range from small start-up fund managers to established global fund advisers and managers.
A particular area of focus for John is Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive (AIFMD) and Markets in Financial Instruments Directive II (MiFID II). This includes advising on pre-marketing and marketing strategies for fund managers, advising on the Level One and Lever Two requirements under AIFMD and implementing UK rules and legislation, and advising on the organizational and conduct of business requirements under MiFID II.
CSRD’s ESRS Draft Work Plan Faces Rejection At Latest EFRAG Meeting
On 15 April 2025, the sustainability reporting board (“SRB”) of the European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (“EFRAG”) failed to agree to an internal timeline for delivering advice to the European Commission on the simplification of the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (“ESRS”), which is at the centre of the Corporate Sustainability…
AIFMD 2.0 – Draft RTS and Final Guidelines Published on Liquidity Management Tools
On 15 April 2025, the European Securities and Markets Authority (“ESMA”) published draft regulatory technical standards (the “Draft RTS”) and final guidelines (the “Guidelines”) on Liquidity Management Tools (“LMTs”), as required under the revised Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive (EU/2024/927) (“AIFMD 2.0”).
Under AIFMD 2.0…
Sustainability-Related Governance, Incentives and Competence – FCA Confirms No New Rules for Now
Background
In February 2023, the United Kingdom Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”) published a discussion paper (DP23/1) to encourage an industry-wide dialogue on firms’ sustainability-related governance, incentives, and competence (the “Discussion Paper”).
On 2 April 2025, the FCA published a summary of the feedback received on the Discussion Paper, as well as…
Final Approval for Simplification – Council of the European Union Formally Approves to “Stop-the-Clock” on Sustainability Reporting and Diligence Requirements
On 14 April 2025, the Council of the European Union (the “Council”) has given the greenlight for the “Stop-the-clock” proposal, which will postpone the application of sustainability reporting and diligence requirements. This marks the final approval for delaying the application of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (“CSRD”) and Corporate…
Have your say on CSRD: EFRAG Launches Public Call for Input on Revisions to ESRS
The European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG) has launched a public call for input (Call for Input) on 9 April 2025, seeking feedback from stakeholders and, in particular, from the first wave of preparers who applied the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) in their 2024 Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive…
Changes on the Horizon for UK Alternative Investment Fund Management Regulation
On 7 April 2025, HM Treasury published a consultation to overhaul the regulation of Alternative Investment Fund Managers (“AIFMs“) in the United Kingdom (“Consultation“). The Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA“) has published a call for input alongside the Consultation (“Call for Input“), which indicates its approach to regulating…
Regulation Round Up
Welcome to the Regulation Round Up, a regular bulletin highlighting the latest developments in UK and EU financial services regulation.
Key developments in March 2025:
31 March
Securitisation: The Joint Committee of the European Supervisory Authorities (“ESAs”) published a report on the implementation and functioning of the Securitisation Regulation (2017/2402)
27 March
FCA…
CSRD and CSDDD Officially Delayed, With Huge Majority of MEPs in Support
On 3 April 2025, the European Parliament voted to postpone the implementation dates for corporate sustainability due diligence and reporting requirements, as the first step in the European Commission’s “Omnibus” simplification package to reduce administrative requirements of companies and aimed to bolster the competitiveness of the European Union. With 531 votes for, 69 against and…
Momentum on Voting on the Omnibus Delay and Updating Corporate Sustainability Reporting Requirements
Vote to delay
On 1 April 2025, the European Parliament approved the “urgent procedure” with regards to the “Omnibus” package of proposals to streamline corporate sustainability requirements.
The next step to vote on the “stop-the-clock” proposal will take place on 3 April 2025.
The approval of the urgent procedure of the Omnibus passed with…