Overview
Two years on from the entry into force of Directive (EU) 2024/927, commonly referred to as AIFMD II, the 16 April 2026 transposition deadline has passed, and the state of play across the EU is best described as uneven, with compliance posture increasingly dependent on where an AIFM is authorised. However, Luxembourg, which hosts the largest shares of EU AIFs within the Union, transposed the Directive without material gold-plating.
The transposition deadline has also brought the EU’s liquidity management tool (LMT) framework into focus. ESMA’s Guidelines on LMTs for UCITS and open ended AIFs were formally published on 12 March 2026, following amendments made in December 2025 to align them with the final Regulatory Technical Standards (RTS) adopted by the European Commission on 17 November 2025 (Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/465).