The FSA plans to introduce a new two-tier listing regime from 6
April 2010 for companies wishing to list in London. Two standards
of listing will be available to UK and overseas companies: Premium
and Standard, with different compliance requirements attached to
each. Whichever is chosen, the company will have the status of
being admitted to the Official List and to trading on the Main
Market of the London Stock Exchange.
The FSA hopes that the new regime will maintain an appropriate
balance between investor protection and the competitiveness of
London as a listing environment, and will minimise the differences
between the treatment of UK and overseas companies. In terms of
substantive changes to the listing regime it is unlikely that the
reforms will make a major difference to UK companies that currently
have a listing. There will, however, be a heavier burden for
overseas companies that want a Premium Listing.
