European Parliament Committee passes MiCA crypto framework in landslide vote

Policymakers with the European Parliament Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs, or ECON, have approved the Markets in Crypto-Assets framework following a vote from the European Council.

In an Oct. 10 tweet, ECON member Stefan Berger confirmed the committee had accepted the MiCA legislation, a result of trialogue negotiations between the EU Council, European Commission and the European Parliament. Members of the parliamentary committee passed the crypto framework policy in a vote of 28 in favor and 1 against, with a final vote expected in a full European Parliament session soon.

Wieder einen Schritt weiter…Das Ergebnis der Trilog-Verhandlung zu #MiCA wurde vom ECON-Ausschuss angenommen. Gute Nachrichten https://t.co/z73pkZMYvO

The MiCA proposal, first introduced to the European Commission in September 2020, aims to create a consistent regulatory framework for cryptocurrencies among the 27 European Union member states. Following legal and linguistic checks, parliament approving the latest version of the text, and publication in the official EU journal, the crypto policies could go into effect starting in 2024.

“It is important to ensure that the [European] Union’s financial services legislation is fit for the digital age, and contributes to a future-ready economy that works for the people, including by enabling the use of innovative technologies,” said the MiCA text as of Oct. 5.

Related: MiCA and ToFR: The EU moves to regulate the crypto-asset market

Following the MiCA vote, members of the EU parliament also overwhelmingly approved a provisional deal on the Transfer of Funds Regulation — legislation aimed at having compliance standards for crypto assets in an effort to crack down on money laundering. The two regulatory frameworks, if given final approval, would apply to member states with the EU but potentially serve as an example for global lawmakers on crypto.