Welcome to Carver's European Union Regulatory Updates for February 23, 2026. Today, we bring you the latest developments from key regulatory bodies and institutional updates across the European Union and beyond.

The European Commission has adopted a comprehensive strategy to support the eastern regions bordering Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine. This strategy focuses on five priority areas: security, economic growth, leveraging local strengths, improving connectivity, and providing support to people affected by ongoing challenges. Targeted financial assistance will be deployed to strengthen resilience and foster sustainable development in these vulnerable areas.

In financial market regulation, the European Securities and Markets Authority, or ESMA, has issued a public notice detailing supervisory measures and fines imposed on REGIS-TR. The authority found seven infringements related to inadequate policies, organizational structure, operational risk management, and compliance failures under the European Market Infrastructure Regulation and the Securities Financing Transactions Regulation. These enforcement actions underscore ESMA’s commitment to maintaining robust market infrastructure and investor protection.

Turning to market integrity, the French financial regulator, the Autorité des Marchés Financiers, or AMF, has ordered the suspension of RAPID NUTRITION shares trading from February 19th to March 13th, 2026, or until further notice. This suspension follows indicators of potential pump and dump market manipulation. The AMF has called on investors to exercise vigilance during this period to safeguard their interests.

On regulatory frameworks for emerging technologies, Marie-Anne Barbat-Layani, President of the AMF, spoke at the 10th Annual Fintech and Regulation Conference hosted by Afore Consulting. She highlighted the Markets in Crypto-Assets regulation, or MiCA, which has established the first comprehensive European regulatory framework for crypto-assets. MiCA raises governance, compliance, and operational resilience standards for crypto-asset service providers, marking a significant milestone in the regulation of digital finance.

In the area of payment services, the French Prudential Supervision and Resolution Authority, known as ACPR, has clarified expectations for payment institution authorization. Providers offering services that fall simultaneously under payment services and crypto-asset services must obtain authorization under the Payment Services Directive 2, or PSD2. A no-action letter allows a transition period until March 2nd, 2026, to comply with these requirements, ensuring regulatory clarity for firms operating at the intersection of traditional and crypto payments.

Moving to consumer protection and data security, the Information Commissioner's Office, or ICO, has won a Court of Appeal case in the DSG Retail ruling. The court affirmed that organizations must implement appropriate security measures to protect personal data from unauthorized access, regardless of whether individuals can be identified from the data. This ruling reinforces the importance of robust data security practices across all sectors.

The Basel Committee on Banking Supervision has published an analysis report on synthetic risk transfers, or SRTs. The report examines the growth, structure, and risks associated with SRT transactions, emphasizing the need for continued supervisory monitoring. Given the expansion of these markets, regulators are focused on ensuring that risk transfer mechanisms do not undermine financial stability.

In regulatory updates concerning pricing transparency, a draft law has been introduced to amend price indication regulations. This law empowers price authorities to sanction violations of both the European Union’s Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation and national price indication rules. The draft aims to harmonize sanctioning procedures and raise penalties to ensure compliance and protect consumers.

In France, sanctions related to electronic invoicing have been increased. Failure to issue electronic invoices, omission to use approved platforms, and non-transmission of transaction or payment data now incur higher fines. Additionally, repeated offenses will attract graduated penalties, including fines every three months, to encourage adherence to invoicing regulations.

Turning to market infrastructure, Euronext Paris Matif has introduced specific position limits on salmon derivative contracts. The limits are set at 5,000 lots for spot month contracts and 11,500 lots for all other months, effective from February 12th, 2026. These measures aim to enhance market stability and prevent excessive speculation.

In healthcare product safety, Medtronic has issued an urgent field safety notice for its MiniMed Paradigm, 600, and 700 series insulin pumps. Updated user guides now include warnings about pump placement relative to infusion sites to prevent insulin over- or under-delivery. Similarly, Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics has released a safety notice for the IMMULITE 2000 EPO and related control modules, requiring adjusted handling and storage procedures to maintain test accuracy.

Pharmaceutical safety also remains a priority with the recall of one batch of MOVICOL Ease Citrus Powder by Norgine Limited. Distributors and retailers are instructed to stop supply immediately and quarantine existing stock to ensure patient safety.

On cybersecurity, multiple critical vulnerabilities have been disclosed affecting major software products from Microsoft, Apple, Fortinet, SAP, and others. Some vulnerabilities are actively exploited, prompting urgent patching and mitigation efforts. Additionally, the Tenable Security Center has reported vulnerabilities allowing privilege escalation, remote denial of service, and security policy bypass in versions prior to 6.8.0, highlighting the ongoing need for vigilance in IT security.

In environmental enforcement, authorities have imposed a £1.4 million compensation penalty on individuals involved in illegal waste dumping across multiple sites. This action demonstrates the continued crackdown on environmental crimes and the commitment to protecting natural resources.

Lastly, the French government has scheduled an early meeting of the natural disaster commission on February 24th to expedite recognition of catastrophe natural status and accelerate insurance claims processing following recent storms and floods. This proactive approach aims to support affected communities swiftly.

That concludes today’s regulatory updates from the European Union and related jurisdictions. Thank you for listening to Carver's updates. For more details, visit us at carveragents.ai.