ESMA initiates EU financial data collection and sets derivatives reporting deadline

The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has initiated several regulatory milestones for European financial markets. On July 10, 2026, ESMA began the first phase of data collection for the European Single Access Point (ESAP). This process involves gathering information from national competent authorities and officially appointed mechanisms to build a centralized platform for financial and sustainability information. While the groundwork is currently underway, the ESAP platform is not scheduled to open to the public until July 2027.

Additionally, ESMA has confirmed September 3, 2026, as the official start date for its weekly commodity derivatives position reporting framework. This new regime will require market participants trading in energy, metals, and agricultural contracts to submit weekly reports following specific technical specifications and XML schema version 2.0. This implementation replaces previous transitional arrangements and follows a prior postponement intended to allow firms more time for operational preparation.