25 March 2019

IOSCO publishes first annual work program to enhance the efficacy of its work

The Board agreed on five priority issues for its work in 2019, based on the conclusions of the IOSCO Risk Outlook and drawing on input from members and IOSCO policy committees.

The priorities identified by the Board for 2019 are:

1. Crypto-assets

2. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

3. Market Fragmentation

4. Passive Investing and Index Providers

5. Retail Distribution and Digitalization

Each of these priorities falls into one or more of five broad focus areas that were approved by the Board in late 2016 to guide IOSCO´s work:

1. Strengthening the structural resilience of capital markets;

2. Addressing data gaps and information sharing issues;

3. Applying new insights into investor protection and investor education;

4. Analyzing the role of securities markets in capital-raising and sustainability issues, and the related role of securities regulation;

5. Examining the role of regulation in financial technology and automation;

The work program will help ensure that the work of IOSCO´s eight policy committees, its Committee on Emerging Risk and Assessment Committee is closely aligned with Board-approved priorities in the future.

Ashley Alder, Chair of the IOSCO Board, said: “The publication of our work program will bring more transparency to our work, benefiting both members and stakeholders. It also will facilitate greater cooperation among IOSCO members, at a time when IOSCO work increasingly cuts across the mandates of different policy committees.”

Full annual programme

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