Category: Potential sanctions against MAR regulated companies

EU’s regulation 596/2014, the Market Abuse Regulation (MAR), contains various sanctions that the respective National Competent Authority (NCA) may impose. Apart from financial sanctions, MAR also stipulates that infringements should normally be made public to further enforce the effect of the sanctions. Notably, MAR stipulates a regulatory standard but does not limit EU member states’ ability to provide for higher administrative sanctions or other administrative measures and are neither prevented from also enforcing and imposing their respective criminal sanctions as well.


  • What happens if I fail to comply with MAR?

    There would normally be no immediate consequences. NCAs do not perform constant controls on all companies regulated under MAR but would rather act upon specific decisions of an NCA. In case of an investigation, the NCA would most likely detect any inadequacies and, as a result, evaluate the extent of the violation and decide on appropriate sanctions to impose. Notably also, the NCAs and ESMA have developed an advanced cross-border technical cooperation standard for sanctions and measures.

    MAR regulates not only which infringements are subject to certain sanctions, but also elaborates on which sanctions may be imposed upon the regulated company itself as well as upon natural persons on a case by case basis.

  • The requirements on management of Persons Discharging Managerial Responsibilities (PDMRs) (art. 19), including;

    The sanctions for incorrect handling of the requirements for PDMRs (article 19) covers, amongst others, the following items:

    • Failure to create or update the list of PDMRs without delay
    • Lack of information to PDMRs with regards to MAR
    • Unnecessary delay in submitting the list to the NCA
    • Lack of information from a PDMR to their close associates with regards to MAR
    • the requirements on investment recommendations (art. 20).

  • Which are the MAR sanctioned infringements?

    MAR sanctioned infringements include failures to comply with:

    • the prohibition of insider dealing and of unlawful disclosure of inside information (art. 14);
    • the prohibition of market manipulation (art. 15);
    • the requirements concerning prevention and detection of market abuse (art. 16);
    • the requirements on Public disclosure of inside information (art. 17);
    • the requirements on management of the insider list (art. 18), including;
    • failure to promptly create or update an insider list;
    • lack of information to, or information collection from, insiders regarding MAR;
    • missing dates and time-stamps for changes in the insider list;
    • dissemination of insider list information to non-authorised persons;
    • inadequate archiving of the insider list and related previous versions;
    • unnecessary delay in submitting the insider list to the NCA;

  • Sources on the web

    EU regulation 596/2014 contains definitions and obligations:

    https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32014R0596

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