The visiting session meeting of the ESMA Board of Supervisors will be held on 6-7 May 2015 in Riga. The event will bring together the heads of the financial markets supervisory authorities in the 28 EU Member States, representatives from the national competent authorities in Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, and representatives from the European Securities and Markets Authority, the European Banking Authority, the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority, the European Systemic Risk Board and the European Commission.

The event is organised by the Latvian financial markets supervisory authority – the Financial and Capital Market Commission – in close cooperation with ESMA. The aim of the meeting is to discuss strategic issues regarding the functioning of ESMA, as well as to take decisions on compiling a single rulebook for EU financial markets and ensuring its consistent application across the EU.

ESMA was established in 2011 as an independent institution with the aim of enhancing the protection of investors and promoting stable and well-functioning financial markets in the European Union. The ESMA Board of Supervisors guides the work of the Authority and has the ultimate decision-making responsibility regarding the adoption of ESMA technical standards, opinions, recommendations, guidelines and any other decisions, including the issuance of advice to the EU institutions. The Board of Supervisors meetings take place seven times per year, two of which are organised as visiting session meetings in the country holding the Presidency of the EU Council. In May 2015, the visiting session meeting will therefore be held in Latvia, and in November the Board of Supervisors will meet in Luxembourg.