Regulatory Strategies Towards the Commodity Market Financialization Risk : Position Limits’ Regime, Transparency and Enforcement Tools

The commodities market sector has been affected by a large financialization process, raising concerns about the role of financial speculation in this sector. Following the broad international mandate of G-20, both US and EU policymakers issued specific provisions for commodity derivatives in order to increase transparency, addressing the turbulence in the commodity markets during the last decade and curbing negative effects of speculation. The article analyses, from an EU perspective, the main regulatory strategies adopted by legislators, focusing in particular on the new position limits’ regime and product intervention. In light of the exemptions to the general regulatory framework in favour of commercial operators, the article highlights how the new set of rules amplifies the role of supervisory authorities, introducing a range of interventionist tools that, ultimately, will determine the effectiveness of the new measures