THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 April 2014 on market abuse (market abuse regulation) and repealing Directive 2003/6/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council and Commission Directives 2003/124/EC, 2003/125/EC and 2004/72/EC [OJ L 173, 12.6.2014, p. 1.], and in particular Article 17(10) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) The protection of investors requires effective and timely public disclosure of inside information by issuers and emission allowance market participants. In order to guarantee at Union level equal access of investors to inside information, the inside information should be publicly disclosed free of charge, simultaneously and as fast as possible amongst all categories of investors throughout the Union and it should be communicated to the media which ensure an effective dissemination to the public.

(2) Where emission allowance market participants already fulfil equivalent inside information disclosure requirements in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 1227/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council [Regulation (EU) No 1227/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2011 on wholesale energy market integrity and transparency (OJ L 326, 8.12.2011, p. 1).], and where they are required to publicly disclose the same information under that Regulation and Regulation (EU) No 596/2014, the obligations under this Regulation should be considered to be fulfilled where the information is disclosed using a platform for the disclosure of inside information for the purposes of Regulation (EU) No 1227/2011, on the condition that the inside information is communicated to the relevant media.