On February 17, 2016, a Commission Implementing Decision was published in the Official Journal of the European Union, updating the list of third countries with equivalent regulatory arrangements in relation to prudential requirements for banks and investment firms for the purpose of the treatment of exposures. The Decision lists the countries whose arrangements for supervision and regulation of banks and investment firms are deemed by the European Commission to be equivalent to the standards of the EU as set out in the Capital Requirements Regulation. The assessments reviewed the supervisory and regulatory arrangements in each country for: (i) banks; (ii) investment firms; and (iii) exchanges. The following nations are now equivalent across all three categories: Australia, Brazil, China, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa and the United States. This Decision will enter into force on March 8, 2016.

The list of equivalent third countries and territories is available at: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legalcontent/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv:OJ.L_.2016.041.01.0023.01.ENG&toc=OJ:L:2016:041:TOC