20/02/2026 (Agence Europe) – On Thursday 19 February, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) launched a consultation on amendments to its guidelines on the Market Abuse Regulation, which governs the publication of sensitive information by listed companies. The aim is to bring these rules into line with the ‘Listing Act’ (see EUROPE 13636/28) and to simplify the obligations of companies. From June 2026, issuers will no longer be required to immediately disclose inside information related to protracted processes before their completion. ESMA also proposes to eliminate the section about the “no misleading the public” condition, replacing the rule with a simpler requirement: the deferred publication should not contradict the issuer’s last official communication on the same subject. Link to consultation, open until 29 April: https://aeur.eu/f/kua (BD)