Modernising the Prospectus Directive

On 16 May 2017, the Council adopted the Prospectus Regulation, which repeals the Prospectus Directive. The prospectus rules are an important part of the Capital Markets Union (CMU), and will apply from mid-2019. This chapter analyzes the reforms of the prospectus rules enacted in the new Prospectus Regulation. First, it provides the background and purposes of the Regulation. It then addresses the extension of the exceptions to and exemptions of the duty to publish a prospectus; the special regime for small and medium-sized companies; the reduction of the burden for secondary issues; the special regime for frequent issuers; the increased relevance of the prospectus for investors; and finally the publication of and access point for EU-prospectuses.