Benefits of membership

ICMA sustains and supports its members’ business by promoting the development & efficient functioning of the international capital market.

Since the beginning of the Euromarkets, 40 years ago, ICMA has facilitated the interaction between issuers, lead managers, dealers and more recently investors and asset managers for the benefit of an efficient and well functioning capital market. Promoting best practices and standards, contributing to education, helping supervisory authorities and furthering the links between its members, were always and remain ICMA’s mission.

Members benefit directly in the course of their day-to-day business from ICMA’s focus on finding practical solutions to market questions. Its unmatched geographical and institutional diversity enable ICMA to play a major role in addressing the practical as well as the regulatory and legal challenges facing market participants as well as central banks and regulators.

ICMA is one of the few trade associations with a pan-European focus which represents both buy side and sell side firms. In addition to facilitating the dialogue between its buy side and sell side members, ICMA maintains a regular dialogue with international and national regulatory authorities.

Key membership benefits include:

Formal involvement in a long-established and respected community of financial institutions active in the capital markets around the world.
Access to ICMA Committees and Working Groups which develop recommendations, including guidance for members, for best market practice and the efficient operation of the markets. The Committees also consider policy responses to regulators.
Access to the work and advice of the Regulatory Policy and Market Practices Department, which keeps members informed about regulatory developments and the implications for their business through the newsletter and other formal and informal channels.
Guidance on issues related to the international capital markets from the ICMA Secretariat and other market professionals.
Representation and guidance from specific market constituencies within ICMA which provide for discussion of technical issues through: the AMTE Council (government and government guaranteed debt markets), Euro Commercial Paper Committee, European Repo Council and Committee, Asset Management and Investors Council and the Covered Bond Investor Council.
Strong regional organisation and representation ensuring that each of ICMA’s 12 regions decides on its own specific priorities, and that the viewpoints of the regions are represented at board level.
Preferential rates for ICMA Executive Education programmes, certificated courses which are accredited by regulators and other academic bodies. Individually tailored training can be delivered ‘in-house’ according to members needs at substantially reduced rates versus other education suppliers.
Networking and information exchange at industry events organised by ICMA with, and for, members at international and regional level, for example its annual general meeting and conference. Regular events focused on specific areas of the market include the Primary Market Forum, a cross market discussion platform involving investment banks, issuers, investors, infrastructure providers and law firms.

All ICMA members have free access to the following documentation and legal guidance:

IPMA Handbook, which provides standard documentation and a set of recommendations for the primary market side of the industry.
ICMA’s rules and recommendations, which provide a framework of best practice in the secondary market.
Legal opinions on the Global Master Repurchase Agreement (GMRA), which currently cover over 60 jurisdictions and which are updated annually.
ICMA’s Legal Helpdesk, which provides informal guidance to members in response to their enquiries on the IPMA Handbook, ICMA’s rules and recommendations and the GMRA.
ICMA conciliation and arbitration in the event of a dispute.
The Members’ Register, in which all ICMA members are listed together with the contact details of key individuals.

Benefits of Membership

Legal Helpdesk

Executive Education