18/05/2020 (Agence Europe) – Austria, Belgium, France, Greece and Spain have decided not to renew their bans on short selling, introduced in March to calm financial markets in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic (see EUROPE 12448/7), the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) said on Monday 18 May. Italy, for its part, has decided to lift its ban, which expires on 18 June, in order to align itself with the other five Member States. ESMA's decision (see EUROPE 12447/14), which temporarily requires notification to the national regulator of any new position equal to or greater than 0.1%, nevertheless remains in force until 16 June and may be renewed, it said. (MF)