Update of Technical Standards on the European Single Electronic Format (ESEF)

24 August 2026
Ref.: 2603067

Circular no.: 27/2026
To: Issuers of securities, the Annual Accounts Register of the Directorate of Internal Revenue, Nasdaq Iceland and the Association of Financial Services Companies

Subject: Update of technical standards on the European Single Electronic Format (ESEF)

The Central Bank of Iceland recently issued Rules no. 881/2026 on the disclosure obligations of issuers of securities. With the issuance of the Rules, Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/19 of 26 September 2024 amending the technical regulatory standards laid down in Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/815 as regards the 2024 update of the taxonomy for the European Single Electronic Format was transposed into Icelandic law (hereinafter the Delegated Regulation).

The Delegated Regulation makes technical amendments to the European Single Electronic Format (ESEF). More specifically, the European Single Electronic Format is brought into line with the amendments made to the IFRS Accounting Taxonomy in 2023 and 2024. In addition, the Delegated Regulation makes amendments to the technical requirements with respect to Inline XBRL.

According to the final sentence of Article 6 of Act no. 20/2021 on the disclosure obligations of issuers of securities and flagging obligations, an issuer of securities shall publish annual accounts in the European Single Electronic Format. Furthermore, the second paragraph of Article 55 of the Act states that the Central Bank shall issue rules on the further implementation of the Act, including the European Single Electronic Format, cf. point 2 of the second paragraph of Article 55. Finally, the third paragraph of Article 38 of the Act provides that the Annual Accounts Register shall monitor whether information pursuant to II. of the Act (where, among other things, Article 6 of the Act appears) is in accordance with the relevant accounting rules.

Attention is drawn to the fact that reference is made to the publication of the annexes to the Delegated Regulation in the Official Journal of the European Union in English, cf. the authorisation in the transitional provision of Act no. 20/2021.

The first submission of annual accounts on the basis of the new Rules will be for the financial year beginning 1 January 2026 or later.

This circular will be published on the Central Bank's website.

Yours faithfully,
CENTRAL BANK OF ICELAND

Linda Kolbrún Björgvinsdóttir
Sigurður Guðmundsson
Managing Director
Legal Counsel
Conduct Supervision
Conduct Supervision