Mifid II ensures all change for energy firms
There's plenty for companies to mull over in the latest European directive aimed at cleaning up the financial sector
The oil and gas industry is braced for fallout from the biggest root-and-branch reform of European financial markets in a generation—the Markets and Financial Instruments Directive, known as Mifid II, which comes into force in January. Hydrocarbons firms aren't the focus for Mifid II, but they'll feel the effects from legislation that embraces every part of Europe's financial industry. Seven years in the making, and running to 70,000 pages, this legislation is Europe's belated attempt to clean up the financial sector and prevent a repeat of the 2008 markets crash. This legislation aims to increase transparency and impose firebreaks to prevent bank collapses. The impetus to create it comes in
Also in this section
9 January 2026
The Latin American producer’s crude prospects rely on a multi-pronged approach where even the relatively easy wins will take considerable time, effort and cost
9 January 2026
While many forecasters are reasserting the importance of oil and gas, petrostates should be under no illusion things are changing, and faster than they might think
8 January 2026
Indonesia and Malaysia are at the dawn of breathtaking digital capabilities. Their energy infrastructure must keep up with their ambitions
8 January 2026
The next five years will be critical for the North Sea, and it will be policy not geology that will decide the basin’s future
