Memoranda of Understanding

The MFSA has signed a number of bilateral Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) with international regulators of financial services and is also a signatory to specialised multilateral MoUs through organisations such as the International Organization of Securities Commissions (‘IOSCO’) and the European Securities and Markets Authority (‘ESMA’).

The aim of concluding these bilateral and multilateral Memoranda of Understanding is to facilitate the exchange of information and to create a formal framework for regulatory collaboration and co-operation between various regulatory authorities. The Memoranda of Understanding provide for clearer channels for co-operation including increased mutual co-operation, the exchange of regulatory and technical information as well as investigative assistance between the signatory financial services regulators.

As well as concluding Memoranda of Understanding with foreign regulators the MFSA has also concluded agreements with a number of domestic regulators with whom the MFSA cooperates in order to achieve its public policy goals.

To date the MFSA has concluded the following Memoranda of Understanding:-

Bilateral MoUs with Foreign Regulators

CountryEntityEntity's ResponsibilitiesDate of SignatureDateOrderScope of AgreementDocument
United KingdomFinancial Conduct AuthorityBanking, Insurance, Investment Services01/02/201920190201Securities
Vatican CityFinancial Information Authority 09/05/201720170509
United Arab EmiratesAbu Dhabi Global Market Financials Services Regulatory AuthorityBanking, Securities and Insurance02/02/201720170202Banking, Securities and InsuranceMedia Statement
VietnamNational Financial Supervisory Commission of VietnamBanking, Securities and Insurance 05/11/201420141105Banking, Securities and Insurance Media Statement
UkraineNational Securities and Stock Market Commission Securities and Markets04/06/201420140604Securities and Markets
QatarQatar Financial Centre Regulatory AuthorityBanking, Financial and Insurance-related business13/03/201220120313Banking, Financial and Insurance-related businessMedia Statement
SlovakiaNational Bank of SlovakiaBanking, Insurance and Securities01/12/201120111201Banking, Insurance and SecuritiesMedia Statement
United StatesNebraska Department of InsuranceInsurance23/11/201120111123Insurance
AustraliaAustralian Prudential Regulation AuthorityBanking, Insurance, Pensions14/06/201020100614Banking and InsuranceMedia Statement
ChinaChina Banking Regulatory CommissionCentral Bank02/02/201020100202BankingMedia Statement
ChinaChina Securities Regulatory CommissionSecurities26/01/201020100126SecuritiesMedia Statement
South AfricaFinancial Services BoardSecurities, Insurance and Pension Funds26/11/200920091126Securities, Insurance and Pension FundsMedia Statement
PortugalBanco de PortugalCredit Institutions30/10/200920091030Credit institutionsMedia Statement
Cayman IslandsCayman Islands Monetary AuthorityCredit Institutions, Insurance, Securities and Trusts18/02/200920090218Credit Institutions, Insurance, Securities and TrustsMedia Statement
United Arab EmiratesDubai Financial Services AuthoritySecurities, Credit Institutions, Insurance and Trusts07/07/200820080707Securities, Credit Institutions, Insurance and TrustsMedia Statement
BermudaBermuda Monetary AuthorityCredit Institutions, Insurance, Securities and Trusts03/06/200820080603Insurance, Credit Institutions and TrustsMedia Statement
CyprusCentral Bank of CyprusCredit Institutions29/05/200820080529Credit institutionsMedia Statement
AustriaFinancial Market AuthorityBanking, Insurance, Pension Funds and Securities02/04/200720070402Credit institutionsMedia Statement
NetherlandsDe Nederlandsche Bank N.V. (DNB)Banking, Insurance, Pension Funds and Securities23/10/200620061023BankingMedia Statement
BelgiumBanking, Finance and Insurance CommissionBanking, Securities and Insurance23/10/200620061023BankBanking, Securities and Insurance (Primarily Banking)ing Media Statement
JerseyJersey Financial Services CommissionBanking, Securities and Insurance21/11/200520051121Mutual assistance and exchange of informationMedia Statement
Isle of ManInsurance and Pensions AuthorityInsurance and Pensions27/06/200520050627Mutual assistance and exchange of informationMedia Statement
Isle of ManFinancial Services CommissionBanking, Investment Services and Corporate Services Providers16/11/200420041116Securities and BankingMedia Statement
GermanyBundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht (BaFin)Banking, Securities and Insurance12/09/200420040912Banking, Securities and Insurance (Primarily Banking)Media Statement
GibraltarFinancial Services CommissionBanking, Securities and Insurance30/06/200420040630Banking, Securities and Insurance.Media Statement
United KingdomFinancial Conduct AuthorityBanking, Insurance, Investment Services23/04/200420040423Banking, Insurance, Investment ServicesMedia Statement
PortugalCommissão de Mercado de Valores MobiliáriosSecurities23/03/200420040323SecuritiesMedia Statement
MauritiusFinancial Services CommissionSecurities, Insurance and Pensions21/01/200420040121Securities, Insurance and PensionsMedia Statement
GuernseyGuernsey Financial Services CommissionBanking, Investment Services, Insurance and Fiduciary Services17/01/200420040117Banking, Investment Services, Insurance and Fiduciary ServicesMedia Statement
SlovakiaNational Bank of SlovakiaBanking12/02/200420040212BankingMedia Statement
TurkeyBanking Regulation and Supervision AgencyBanking10/12/200420041210BankingMedia Statement
TurkeyCapital Markets Board of Turkey (Semaye Piyasasi Kurulu)Securities04/04/200220020404SecuritiesMedia Statement

Bilateral MoUs with Local Authorities

CountryEntityEntity's ResponsibilitiesDate of SignatureDateOrderScope of AgreementDocumentWebsite
MaltaCommissioner for Voluntary OrganisationsThe Commissioner for Voluntary Organisations is tasked, inter alia, with monitoring the activities of voluntary organisations in order to ensure observance of the provisions of the Voluntary Organisations Act30/09/202020200930To establish a framework for co-operation, mutual assistance and exchange of information between the two entities, for the purpose of assisting each other in the discharge of their own respective functions
MaltaAccountancy BoardThe Accountancy Board is established under the Accountancy Profession Act and regulates the accountancy profession in Malta27/04/202020200427To establish a framework for co-operation, mutual assistance and exchange of information between the two entitiesMedia Statement
MaltaCentral Bank of MaltaCountry Central Bank24/04/202020200424Financial Market Infrastructures
MaltaMBRTo safeguard against the use of commercial partnerships, trusts and financial services entities for criminal and illegal purposes06/04/202020200406To establish a framework for co-operation, mutual assistance and exchange of information between the two entitiesMedia Statement
MaltaFinancial Intelligence Analysis Unit (FIAU)Preventing, detecting and combating money laundering and funding of terrorism20/08/201820180820Cooperation in the field of Anti-Money Laundering and Combating Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT)
MaltaMGA, Sanctions Monitoring Board, FIAU, MFSASafeguarding the Maltese financial, gaming and other sectors from being misused for criminal purposes, including terrorism, funding of terrorism, and the financing of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction31/05/201820180531Formulise their cooperation and exchange of information, and the allocation of responsibilities in ensuring compliance by subject persons with their relevant obligations under the PMLA and NIAMoU
MaltaFinancial Intelligence Analysis Unit (FIAU) Combating money laundering and the financing of terrorism 18/03/2014 20140318Cooperation, rendering of mutual assistance and exchange of information in the field of AML/CFT compliance supervision Media Statement
MaltaCentral Bank of Malta Country Central Bank 25/01/2013 20130125Joint Financial Stability Board MoUWebsite
MaltaCentral Bank of Malta Country Central Bank 25/01/2013 20130125Exchange of Information in the fields of financial services MoUWebsite
MaltaOffice For Fair Competition Competition 02/06/2008 20080602Mutual assistance and exchange of information Media Statement

Multilateral MoUs and Protocols

CountryEntityEntity's ResponsibilitiesDate of SignatureDateOrderScope of AgreementDocumentWebsite
InternationalIOSCO Multilateral MoU 01/11/201920191101Administrative arrangement for the transfer of personal data with non-EEA AuthoritiesMMoUN/A
InternationalCESR (replaced by ESMA) Multilateral MoU signed 01/05/2004 20040501Securities MoUWebsite
InternationalCEIOPS (replaced by EIOPA) Protocol in force 01/05/2004 20040501InsuranceProtocolN/A
CEIOPS (replaced by EIOPA) Protocol in force 28/04/2006 20060428InsuranceProtocolN/A
CEIOPS (replaced by EIOPA) Multilateral MoU signed11/04/2006 20060411Insurance and occupational pensions MoUN/A
CEIOPS (replaced by EIOPA) Protocol in force 02/03/2006 20060302Occupational pensions ProtocolN/A
International IOSCO Multilateral MoU signed 28/02/2006 20060228Securities MoUWebsite
International Financial Supervisory Authorities, Central Banks and Finance Ministries of the EU Multilateral MoU signed 01/06/2008 20080601Cross-Border financial stability Media StatementN.A
International CEIOPS (replaced by EIOPA) Protocol in force 31/03/2008 20080331InsuranceProtocolN/A
MaltaMinistry of Finance, the Economy and Investment and Central Bank of Malta Ministry responsible for Finance and Country Central Bank 03/11/2009 20091103Co-operation in the management of financial crisis situations N/AN/A
International International Association of Insurance Supervisors (IAIS) Multilateral MoU signed 26/10/2010 20101026Exchange of information in insurance regulatory and supervisory matters Media StatementN/A

Agreements by means of Letters with Foreign Regulators

CountryEntityEntity's ResponsibilitiesDate of SignatureDateOrderScope of AgreementDocumentWebsite
SwitzerlandSwiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA) [previously the Swiss Federal Banking Commission (SFBC)]Banking, Securities and Insurance19/10/2004 20041019Banking and Securities Media StatementWebsite
ItalyCommissione Nazionale per le Societa’ e la Borsa (CONSOB)Securities25/01/2013 20130125SecuritiesMedia StatementWebsite