The Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) has announced a significant policy change, allowing for a broader range of cases in which prospectuses can be submitted in English.

The regulator published a Policy Statement outlining the amendment to accepted languages, which is expected to enhance accessibility for international investors.

Under the new policy, when securities are offered to the public or admitted to trading on a regulated market exclusively in Cyprus, the prospectus can now be drawn up in either Greek or English.

This decision aligns with international financial practices and is intended to facilitate market participation from a wider range of stakeholders.

However, CySEC has also stipulated that a summary of the prospectus must be made available in Greek.

This requirement aims to ensure that local investors have access to essential information in their native language, thus maintaining investor protection.

The policy change applies to various scenarios where Cyprus is designated as the home member state, including instances where an offering or listing is made only in Cyprus, across multiple EU member states excluding Cyprus, or on regulated markets that include Cyprus as a host member state.

Commenting on the development, CySEC Chairman Dr George Theocharides emphasised the importance of maintaining a balance between accessibility and investor protection.

“In the case of the publication of a prospectus in English, a summary will also be provided in Greek, which will contain basic information for making an investment decision,” he said.

“Our goal is to ensure the protection of investors in a proportionate manner,” he added.