ESMA Publishes Sovereign Bond Deferrals List

The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has published a list of supplementary deferrals for sovereign bonds under MiFIR, effective May 4, 2026. These deferrals allow for the omission of trade volume publication for medium-sized trades on liquid bonds until the end of the trading day.

A Ventura fined €20M for GDPR infringement

The Spanish Data Protection Agency (AEPD) has initiated a sanctioning procedure against A VENTURA EN TRAMPOLINES S.L. for alleged infringements of the GDPR. The company has been fined €20 million and previously ordered to adapt its user consent form within one month, a deadline it failed to meet.

Non-profit Director Arraigned for Rental Assistance Fraud

Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell announced the arraignment of Pipheak Sun, former Director of Housing and Consumer Education for Lowell non-profit Community Teamwork, Inc. Sun is accused of misappropriating over $280,000 in rental assistance funds intended for families facing housing crises. A scheduling conference is set for March 10.

State AGs Sue Trump Admin Over Energy Funding Termination

Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell, joined by 12 other state AGs, has filed a lawsuit against the Trump Administration. The suit challenges the termination of billions of dollars in congressionally mandated energy and infrastructure funding, impacting projects nationwide.

Ofcom Telecoms and Pay-TV Complaints Q3 2025

Ofcom has published its latest figures for complaints received about major UK landline, mobile, broadband, and pay-TV providers for Q3 2025. The report indicates that complaint levels remained similar to the previous quarter across all service types, with specific providers identified as generating the most and fewest complaints.

California AG Promotes Data Deletion Tool for Consumers

California Attorney General Rob Bonta is promoting the state's new online tool, DROP, which allows consumers to request data deletion from over 500 data brokers. Over 225,000 Californians have already signed up for the tool, which becomes mandatory for data brokers to comply with by August 1, 2026.

Canadian Securities Regulators Amend Benchmark Assurance Report Rules

Canadian securities regulators have adopted final amendments to rules governing designated benchmarks and benchmark administrators, effective May 5, 2026. These changes clarify assurance report requirements for independent public accountants, specifying the level of assurance, report type, and submission timing, and introduce a new requirement for certain designated benchmarks.

Texas AG Sues Temu for Deceptive Marketing and Data Harvesting

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit against PDD Holdings, Inc. and WhaleCo Inc. (doing business as Temu) for deceptive marketing and illegal data harvesting. The suit alleges Temu engages in dangerous software functions that expose user data to the Chinese Communist Party, seeking up to $10,000 per violation of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act.

ICO v. DSG Retail - Data Protection Security Ruling

The UK's Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has won a Court of Appeal case against DSG Retail Limited, reinstating a £500,000 fine for a 2020 data breach. The ruling clarifies that organisations must secure all personal data, regardless of whether individuals can be identified from exfiltrated data.

EU Legislation and Notices - February 18, 2026

The EU Official Journal L series published new legislation and notices on February 18, 2026. Key regulations include amendments to customs duty relief, restrictive measures for Zimbabwe, and new anti-dumping duties on imports from Thailand and China.