AFME (Association for Financial Markets in Europe)

From everyone at AFME, we wish you a happy holiday season and a successful year ahead! 🎄 We hope you have a restful and enjoyable time with family and friends. Thank you for your continued support throughout 2024.

AFME has today published its Government Bond Data Report for the third quarter of 2024, which has found that outstanding amounts of European ESG government bonds reached EUR 527 bn during this quarter. Access the data report here: https://bit.ly/4fnjsAy

AFME is pleased to announce the first set of confirmed speakers for our upcoming European Sustainable Finance Conference, taking place in Amsterdam on 21-22 May. This event will bring together over 70 leading experts to address the critical role of finance in supporting the transition to a sustainable economy, including: 🔹 Fayyaz Muneer, Deputy Director, Green Finance & Prudential Policy, HM Treasury 🔹 Jason Mitchell, Co-Head of Responsible Investment, Man Group 🔹 Taha S. Ali, Group Finance Director, Trivium Packaging 🔹 Florence B., Secretary General, EuropeanIssuers 🔹 Dr. Julia Dieckmann, Head of Sustainable Finance Policy, Deutsche Bank 🔹 Sean Kidney, CEO, Climate Bonds Initiative 🔹 Celia Lambert-Alcantara, Head of Sustainable Finance/ESG Compliance & CSRD Project Manager, Crédit Agricole CIB 🔹 Luiza Trindade, Global ESG Reporting Specialist, Chrysal International BV Register now: https://bit.ly/409KPKo

AFME and Oliver Wyman have published a new report providing practical input and recommendations to improve the usability of the EU Taxonomy.    The report provides an “on-the-ground” perspective of the challenges which financial institutions face in applying the Do-No-Significant-Harm (DNSH) assessment. Drawing on research conducted by Oliver Wyman, including detailed interviews with practitioners at financial institutions, corporates, sovereign and supranational organisations and investors, the report sheds light on real-world complexities.    Specifically, the report explores how the DNSH assessment could be streamlined  across credit institutions’  financing portfolios with a mixture of short-, medium- and long-term policy actions.   We hope that the report provides valuable reflections and recommendations to support the improved usability of the EU Taxonomy as a tool to help scale sustainable finance.    Read the full report here: https://bit.ly/3OXQ497

Join us for AFME’s 16th Annual Spanish Capital Markets Conference on 3 April 2025 in #Madrid. Hear from leading experts as they explore fixed income, equities, ESG, digital innovation, and more, with perspectives across Spanish, EU, and global markets: 👉 Mercedes Abascal Rojo, Head of Funding and debt Management, Spanish Ministry of Finance 👉Eduardo Manzanera, Managing Director, Goldman Sachs 👉Leticia Ruenes, CFA, Managing Director, Head of Spain, Pemberton Asset Management 👉Antonio Tena, Vice President, Senior Credit Officer, Moody's 👉Dr. Christian Thun, Chief Executive Officer, European DataWarehouse 👉Juan David García Restrepoía, Senior Director, Structured Finance and Covered Bonds, Fitch Ratings Secure your place today: https://bit.ly/49DyxN0

AFME has today published its securitisation data report for the third quarter of 2024, which has found that European securitisation issuance reached €47.8 bn during this quarter. Access the data report here: https://bit.ly/4iwF6VI

AFME is pleased to announce that Juan Blasco, Global Head of Institutional Business at Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, has been appointed as Chair of the AFME Board. Since joining the Board in 2020, Mr Blasco has brought invaluable insight and perspective to AFME and its members. His wealth of knowledge and experience from his over 20-year career in financial services equips him to lead the AFME Board as we work to ensure Europe’s capital markets can play its role in allowing Europe to regain its competitive edge and secure long-term economic prosperity. Mr Blasco assumes the role from Thalia Chryssikou who was previously a member of the AFME Board and served as Chair between June 2021 and July 2024.  AFME thanks Ms Chryssikou for her service and dedication to AFME. Under her Chairmanship, AFME continued to advance its reach and reputation as an expert and credible voice for Europe's wholesale financial markets across a broad range of regulatory and capital markets issues. 

AFME has responded to the European Commission's Consultation on the EU AI Act - specifically on the definition of what constitutes an "AI" system, as well as the scope and definition of prohibited uses of AI under the regulation. As a regulated industry with a long history of the use of AI/ Machine Learning, as well as established governance processes and controls to manage AI risks, our members welcome the opportunity to clarify these important distinctions. Read the full consultation response: https://bit.ly/3BbdK6U

AFME, in collaboration with Linklaters, is pleased to publish the latest update to the “Sustainable Finance in Europe: Regulatory State of Play” report. This updated guide offers a clear roadmap of key regulatory developments in the EU, UK, and Switzerland, helping our members stay ahead in the evolving ESG landscape. Access the guide here: https://bit.ly/4f7Y5Df

AFME and a consortium of trade associations welcome the European Commission's review of the EU Securitisation Framework. The associations support the efforts of the European Commission to review and address holistically the different elements of the Framework, which hinder market growth. Targeted reforms are critical to unlocking securitisation’s potential to strengthen capital markets, drive growth, and enhance EU competitiveness. Access the statement here: https://bit.ly/4guxmSd