The European Council announced a provisional agreement with the European Parliament on amending the Central Securities Depositories Regulation (CSDR) to shorten the securities settlement cycle on EU trading venues. The change would move settlement for transactions in transferable securities such as shares and bonds from no later than two business days after trade date (T+2) to no later than one business day (T+1). The agreement includes an exemption for certain securities financing transactions (SFTs), but only where they are documented as single transactions composed of two linked operations, to limit circumvention risks. The Council framed the move as supporting alignment with settlement developments in other major markets and reducing frictions in the EU post-trade landscape. Both institutions must formally adopt the new rules, which are set to apply from 11 October 2027.