Hellenic Capital Market Commission

The Hellenic Capital Market Commission (HCMC; Greek: Επιτροπή Κεφαλαιαγοράς), established as a legal entity by Greek Law in 1991 and organized by the Greek Law 2324 of 1995, aims to "ensure the protection and the orderly and efficient operation of the capital market, which is crucial for the growth of the national economy" of Greece.[1] The HCMC is a Member of the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) and "operates within its framework and under its auspices".[1] According to Thomson Reuters HCMC is the competent authority for supervising securities laws in Greece, including tender offers.[2]

Hellenic Capital Market Commission
Η Επιτροπή Κεφαλαιαγοράς
Agency overview
Formed1927 (1927)
TypeFinancial regulatory body
JurisdictionGreece
HeadquartersAthens, Greece
Agency executive
Websitehttp://www.hcmc.gr/

Mandate

The commission is responsible for monitoring compliance with the provisions of capital market law, and is funded by fees paid by the supervised entities. These include Investment Firms, Mutual Fund Management Firms, Portfolio Investment Companies, Real Estate Investment Companies and Financial Intermediation Firms. The HCMC also oversees companies listed on the Athens Stock Exchange, ensuring compliance with capital market legislation.[3] Because of problems caused by the financial crisis that blew up in mid 2010, the commission banned short selling of shares listed in the Athens Exchange effective 28 April 2010, to remain in force until 28 June 2010.[4]

Until 2000, there were no laws covering corporate governance in Greece. The HCMC set up the Committee on Corporate Governance in April 1999, which issued the Mertzanis Report in October 1999, entitled Principles on Corporate Governance in Greece: Recommendations for its Competitive Transformation. This functioned as a voluntary code. In November 2000 the HCMC issued the mandatory Code of Conduct for Companies Listed on the Athens Stock Exchange, which requires listed entities to establish an internal audit unit to monitor the company's audit process, reporting to the board of directors. Law No. 3016 of 2002 regulating corporate governance went into force on 20 June 2003, and allows the HCMC to impose sanctions for non-compliance, but the law has been criticized for lacking detail.[5]

The chairman of the commission from 1996 to 2004 was Stavros Thomadakis, who went on to become first chairman of the Public Interest Oversight Board in March 2005.[6] As of June 2011 the chairman was Anastassios Gabrielides.[7]

References
  1. "HCMC / Mission and Duties". HCMC. 2015. Retrieved 26 November 2017.
  2. "Hellenic Capital Market Commission (HCMC) (Greece)". Practical Law Company. 22 April 2006. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  3. "ANNUAL REPORT 2009" (PDF). Hellenic Republic Capital Market Commission. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-10-03. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  4. "To Members of the Athens Exchange" (PDF). Hellenic Republic Capital Market Commission. 28 April 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 October 2011. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  5. "Greece: Principles of Corporate Governance". eStandardsForum. Archived from the original on 2010-06-21. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  6. "Stavros Thomadakis Chairman, Public Interest Oversight Board". Global Public Policy Symposium. Archived from the original on 2008-11-21. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  7. "DIRECTORATES OF THE CAPITAL MARKET COMMISSION". HCMC. Archived from the original on 2011-10-03. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
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