Equivalence of non-UK regimes

Third country issuers must satisfy our measures. Learn more about major shareholding notifications and requirements for issuers of shares and debt securities.

We are able to exempt third country issuers from certain requirements in DTRs 4 to 6 if we consider the law of the third country in question to be equivalent, or if the issuer complies with requirements of the law of a third country we consider to be equivalent.

Financial reporting rules (DTR 4) exemption

Countries that have adopted IFRS as issued by the IASB

We are satisfied that:

  • in respect of a financial year beginning on or before 31 December 2020, the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) are equivalent to IFRS as adopted by the EU in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1606/2002 as it applies in the European Union; and 
  • in respect of a financial year beginning after 31 December 2020, the IFRS as issued by the IASB are equivalent to UK-adopted international accounting standards (within the meaning given by section 474(1) of the Companies Act 2006) for the purposes of the Transparency Rules

Therefore, in accordance with DTR 4.4.8R, issuers of securities admitted to trading on a UK regulated market with a registered office in a third country, which report their annual and half-yearly consolidated financial statements following IFRS as issued by the IASB are exempt from:

  • DTR TP 1(36) and DTR TP 1(38); and
  • DTR 4.1.6R(1) and DTR 4.2.4R(1)

Major shareholding rules (DTR 5) exemption for issuers

We are satisfied that the laws governing major shareholder legislation in the following countries are equivalent. Issuers with securities admitted to trading on a UK regulated market that are incorporated in any of these countries are exempt from the requirements in DTR 5.5.1R, DTR 5.6.1R and DTR 5.8.12R(2):

  • USA
  • Japan
  • Israel
  • Switzerland

Information requirements (DTR 6) exemption

We are satisfied that the law governing information requirements for issuers of shares in Switzerland is equivalent to the following provisions of DTR 6. Issuers of shares admitted to trading on a UK regulated market that are incorporated in Switzerland are exempt from these requirements:

  • 6.1.3R(1)
  • 6.1.4R (to the extent that it relates to issuers of shares)
  • 6.1.5R(1) to (3) (sub sections (1) and (2) only to the extent that they relate to issuers of shares or shareholders)
  • 6.1.6R (only to the extent that it relates to issuers of shares)
  • 6.1.9R
  • 6.1.12R to 6.1.13R

Other third countries

As we complete further equivalence exercises, we may update the list of third countries we regard as equivalent in relation to relevant provisions of the DTRs.

We invite issuers and other interested parties who would like us to consider the equivalence of their domestic legislation in this area to give us details of why we should do so.