ARTICLE
24 July 2025

EMIR 3—the Active Account Requirement

AO
A&O Shearman

Contributor

A&O Shearman was formed in 2024 via the merger of two historic firms, Allen & Overy and Shearman & Sterling. With nearly 4,000 lawyers globally, we are equally fluent in English law, U.S. law and the laws of the world’s most dynamic markets. This combination creates a new kind of law firm, one built to achieve unparalleled outcomes for our clients on their most complex, multijurisdictional matters – everywhere in the world. A firm that advises at the forefront of the forces changing the current of global business and that is unrivalled in its global strength. Our clients benefit from the collective experience of teams who work with many of the world’s most influential companies and institutions, and have a history of precedent-setting innovations. Together our lawyers advise more than a third of NYSE-listed businesses, a fifth of the NASDAQ and a notable proportion of the London Stock Exchange, the Euronext, Euronext Paris and the Tokyo and Hong Kong Stock Exchanges.
The latest revisions to the European Market Infrastructure Regulation (known as EMIR 3) brought about numerous changes affecting cleared markets, with potential impacts both within and outside the EU.
Worldwide Finance and Banking

The latest revisions to the European Market Infrastructure Regulation (known as EMIR 3) brought about numerous changes affecting cleared markets, with potential impacts both within and outside the EU.

Among these is the introduction of the controversial new "active account" requirement. This will require certain EU counterparties to hold at least one active account at an EU central counterparty (CCP) and clear a representative number of trades through that account. This is intended to incentivize the development of clearing in the EU and reduce exposures to and usage by EU entities of non-EU CCPs.

Following its consultation, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) published its final draft regulatory technical standards (RTS), which set out the details of the active account requirements (the Active Account RTS). This provides greater certainty for those counterparties and CCPs.

EMIR 3 entered into force on December 24, 2024, except for the amendments to the calculation of the clearing thresholds for financial counterparties (FCs) and non-financial counterparties (NFCs). The requirement to have an active account applied from June 25 2025. However, the final draft of the Active Account RTS still has to be approved by the European Commission. Until the Active Account RTS enter into force, in-scope entities should discuss compliance with their national competent authority (NCA).

In this note, we delve into the mechanics, obligations, and strategic implications of the active account requirement. We unpack what it means for EU market participants and how it will reshape the landscape of derivatives clearing across the European Union.

To view the full article please click here.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.

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