On 13 January 2021, the European Securities and Markets
Authority (ESMA) issued a public statement intended to remind
investment firms of the requirements under MIFID II on the
provision of investment services to retail or professional clients
by firms not established or situated in the European Union.
In particular, the statement notes certain questionable
practices by firms around reverse solicitation and notes that some
firms appear to be trying to circumvent the MiFID II requirements
by including general clauses in their terms of business or through
the use of online pop-up “I agree” boxes whereby
clients state that any transaction is executed on the exclusive
initiative of the client.