TITLE VI

COMPETENT AUTHORITIES
CHAPTER III

Cooperation with third countries

Exchange of information with third countries
Article 88
1
Member States and in accordance with Article 33 of Regulation (EU) No 1095/2010, ESMA, may conclude cooperation agreements providing for the exchange of information with the competent authorities of third countries only if the information disclosed is subject to guarantees of professional secrecy at least equivalent to those required under Article 76. Such exchange of information must be intended for the performance of the tasks of those competent authorities.
Transfer of personal data to a third country by a Member State shall be in accordance with Chapter IV of Directive 95/46/EC.
Transfers of personal data to a third country by ESMA shall be in accordance with Article 9 of Regulation (EU) No 45/2001.
Member States and ESMA may also conclude cooperation agreements providing for the exchange of information with third country authorities, bodies and natural or legal persons responsible for one or more of the following:
a
the supervision of credit institutions, other financial institutions, insurance undertakings and the supervision of financial markets;
b
the liquidation and bankruptcy of investment firms and other similar procedures;
c
the carrying out of statutory audits of the accounts of investment firms and other financial institutions, credit institutions and insurance undertakings, in the performance of their supervisory functions, or which administer compensation schemes, in the performance of their functions;
d
oversight of the bodies involved in the liquidation and bankruptcy of investment firms and other similar procedures;
e
oversight of persons charged with carrying out statutory audits of the accounts of insurance undertakings, credit institutions, investment firms and other financial institutions;
f
oversight of persons active on emission allowance markets for the purpose of ensuring a consolidated overview of financial and spot markets;
g
oversight of persons active on agricultural commodity derivatives markets for the purpose of ensuring a consolidated overview of financial and spot markets.
The cooperation agreements referred to in the third subparagraph may be concluded only where the information disclosed is subject to guarantees of professional secrecy at least equivalent to those required under Article 76. Such exchange of information shall be intended for the performance of the tasks of those authorities or bodies or natural or legal persons. Where a cooperation agreement involves the transfer of personal data by a Member State, it shall comply with Chapter IV of Directive 95/46/EC and with Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 in the case ESMA is involved in the transfer.
2
Where the information originates in another Member State, it may not be disclosed without the express agreement of the competent authorities which have transmitted it and, where appropriate, solely for the purposes for which those authorities gave their agreement. The same provision applies to information provided by third country competent authorities.